Green New Deal

Len Duvall: Can you outline the specific elements of your Green New Deal that you hope to achieve in your economic recovery programme?

The Mayor: As part of London’s Recovery programme, the Green New Deal Mission sets the goal of tackling the climate and ecological emergencies and improving air quality by doubling the size of London's green economy by 2030.
The mission’s delivery will support economic growth by sustaining and creating new jobs and skills, supporting SMEs and ensuring the City is a green finance centre post Brexit. It will also reduce inequalities and help deliver a just transition, prioritising those who need help most, including those on lower incomes, young people, older people, people with disabilities and BAME Londoners.
My £10 million of Green New Deal Fund projects, announced in November, are supporting green businesses and around 1,000 jobs. The projects also focus on tackling inequalities highlighted through the pandemic and focussing activity on areas with poor air quality, limited access to green space, and areas of greatest climate vulnerability.

Retraining/second career

Len Duvall: Given the current situation with the economy, can you outline what increased opportunities there are for retraining for those Londoners wishing to upgrade their skills to explore new career opportunities?

The Mayor: I have changed the funding rules of the delegated Adult Education Budget (AEB) to enable greater flexibility for job focused training and to allow all unemployed Londoners and those on low pay to access any level 3 qualification for free this academic year.
My £11m AEB Response Fund has also allowed providers to expand their online provision and reach more Londoners during the pandemic. I have also invested an additional £1.9m of the £12.9m the GLA is receiving from Government to deliver high value courses and Sector Based Work Academies. The Government’s lifetime skills guarantee will also be administered by the GLA in London and I am working with other regions to ensure it meets local priorities.
London’s European Social Fund (ESF) programmes also provide vital support for disadvantaged Londoners, and we are creating new opportunities through the London Recovery Programme.
Information on national, local and private and third sector schemes can be found on the GLA’s Skills and Employment Hub.

Bus shelter at the "Southgate Road" stop on Balls Pond

Jennette Arnold: The bus shelter at the "Southgate Road" stop on Balls Pond Road has been replaced and the new one does not have Countdown. Now that buses to Highbury Corner are 15 minutes apart it is all the more necessary to know if you have just missed one! Could the Mayor confirm when a Countdown will be installed?

The Mayor: The Countdown sign at the shelter at the Southgate Road bus stop (bus stop code 59415) was reinstalled 28 January 2021, following the completion of shelter works.
Countdown signs are normally only removed during shelter works and are reinstalled once the shelter work is fully completed, including the electrical connection and final wiring.

Policing in supermarkets

Jennette Arnold: Can you tell me how many times Met Police Officers have been called to supermarkets to respond to COVID-19 rule breaking in 1) London Borough of Hackney and 2) London Borough of Islington and 3) London Borough of Waltham Forest?

The Mayor: Owing to the way premises information is recorded on its dispatch system, the MPS is unable to provide this data.

Historic England & Heritage Lottery Fund

Susan Hall: Have you, in collaboration with Historic England & the Heritage Lottery Fund, supported many listings & funding applications in London?

The Mayor: My teams have written supporting statements for listings and funding applications to Heritage England and the National Heritage Lottery Fund in each London borough. For example, my Culture team wrote in support of Alexandra Palace’s National Heritage Lottery Fund’s application in Haringey, and in support of listing the Royal Vauxhall Tavern in Lambeth.
National Heritage Lottery Fund has invested in round one of the London Borough of Culture programme, with grants of £250,000 in both Waltham Forest (2019) and Brent (2020).
In February 2019, City Hall hosted a High Street Network event in partnership with London Councils to encourage boroughs to apply for MHCLG’s Future High Streets Fund and Historic England's High Street Action Zone’s fund.

2014 Report from CIRAS about Fatigue from TOL Croydon Tram Drivers

Keith Prince: Your response to Question 2020/4104 —

"Transport for London Internal Audit became aware of the AbsTracked audit during the 13 744 audit, not during an investigation. The Audit team were not informed of the Confidential Incident Reporting & Analysis Service (CIRAS) report at any stage of this audit”

— does not answer my question.

Were any TfL Executives, including (but not limited to) the Transport Commissioner, MD Surface Transport, Director HSE and/or General Counsel aware/in possession of the 4 March 2014 CIRAS Report about Fatigue from TOL Croydon Tram Drivers before or while IA 13744 was conducted?

The Mayor: Please refer to my response to Mayor’s Question 2020/1098.

2017 Letters exchanged between First Group Tram Driver, the Mayor and TfL concerning Safety at Croydon Tram

Keith Prince: In documents found in your long-delayed response to Question 2019/17340, a 7 June 2017 12:26 email from Crossrail Head of Audit to a TfL Internal Audit team states:

“A letter has been received by the Mayor from a driver at ‘Victoria Derbyshire’. He was disciplined and sacked by First following a recent incident in which the Mayor called for action by First. The letter blamed the Mayor (etc etc), but also management practices at First, including the design of the tram cabs and poor air conditioning. A decision has been made that a letter in response would come from Howard to the driver. WE will get copies of the documents to use as background information for the audit.”

Please provide me with (a) copies of the letter to the Mayor from the Croydon Tram Driver and the response to the Driver from TfL General Counsel and (b) all communication (emails, drafts, handwritten notes) associated with these two letters.

The Mayor: I wrote to the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) to draw its attention to the allegations made in the BBC’s April 2017 Victoria Derbyshire programme and asked them to include the allegations in its investigation as appropriate. Transport for London (TfL) confirmed that the RAIB and the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) had been made aware that fatigue issues had been raised and strongly urged the individual, if he had personal information relevant to the RAIB and ORR investigations, to contact the RAIB and the ORR and provide them with the information that he had. The relevant contact details were provided.
Given the personal information relating to the individual concerned in this correspondence it would not be appropriate for it to be provided by TfL.
The request for “all communication (emails, drafts, handwritten notes) associated with these two letters” would require an extensive level of searching to be carried out by TfL. TfL is concentrating the appropriate use of its public resources (which you will be aware are extremely limited at the moment) on preparing for and providing support to the Coroner’s Inquest which is now due to open in May 2021.

Education charities

Jennette Arnold: Due to the Government’s lack of support for young Londoners who have to miss education due to long-term illness or who are shielding from COVID, was the Mayor aware that charities such as Bright Futures UK have had to step in to ensure children are receiving the educational and well-being support they need? And can the Mayor offer his support to these organisations and ensure that our Government is giving them and local authorities the funding they need to deal with this important issue?

The Mayor: Officers from my Education and Youth team were pleased to meet Bright Futures UK with you to discuss their current research into the impact of children missing school due to long-term illness and Covid-19.
The work Bright Futures UK, and others, are doing to support children and young people is incredibly important. The Government must do more to support our most vulnerable young people who are facing the greatest barriers to their learning. I have written to the Government with my concerns over learning loss and increased attainment gaps and urge them to commit further funding to catch-up support.
Collaborative working between local authorities, education and health agencies is key to supporting young people with long-term illness. I will continue to work with London partners to share best practice and connect services where possible.

Impact of school closures

Jennette Arnold: In October, the Education Panel recommended that you should inform the Education Panel about ongoing or planned data collection to understand the effect of the COVID-19 school closures on education inequality in London, including the collection of ethnicity data. In your response, you stated that “My team will analyse DfE statistical publications and present London-level comparisons of specific groups. This analysis includes a range of characteristics, including differences in attainment and progress by ethnicity, free school meal eligibility and special educational need status”. What has your monitoring and analysis of this data revealed about the effect of COVID-19 school closures on education inequality in London, and what actions will you be taking to address it?

The Mayor: On 16 February 2021, the Department for Education published updated key stage 4 data for the academic year 2019/20. They caution that “2019/20 data should not be directly compared to attainment data from previous years for the purposes of measuring changes in student performance.” However, we have examined the differences in 2019/20 attainment in London between specific groups, including ethnicity, free school meal eligibility and special educational need status. These will be published on the London COVID-19 resilience dashboard and the London Education Report in March.
My Education and Youth team support the collaboration and sharing of best practice by schools. Our Schools for Success webinars are focusing on techniques for supporting student wellbeing and how to help narrow the attainment gap. In partnership with the London South Teaching Schools Alliance we will bring together over 400 education professionals for March’s LondonEd 2021 conference. Such platforms allow educators to share strategies for addressing educational inequalities and mitigating the negative impact of Covid-19 and the time away from in-person teaching.

Communications about First Group 'resistance' to IA 17780 sent by Internal Audit to General Counsel, 7 June - 27 July 2017

Keith Prince: Data released in Question 2019/17340 shows an 7 June 2017 12:26 email sent from Crossrail Head of Audit to the IA 17780 Internal Audit Team which, inter alia, states:

"I have just had Howard [Carter, TfL General Counsel] on the phone. He wanted to say:
1. We may meet some resistance to our audit. If we do so, then we have contractual rights which we can enforce. At the first hint of resistance, can you please let me know, so that we can nip it in the bud

3. Howard would like to be kept up to date with regard to progress of the audit, i.e. the LoE, when fieldwork commences, finishes, a first draft report and any problems we have along the way. I have agreed to do this.”

Meanwhile, a 27 July 2017 08:01 email released in Question 2020/0023 from Crossrail Head of Audit to TfL’s Head of Internal Audit states

"the audit [IA 17780[ was marred throughout by a grudging lack of co-operation. Not downright refusal, but an obvious lack of engagement, and sometimes obfuscation”

Please provide me with copies of all communications sent from TfL’s Internal Audit Team and Crossrail's Head of Audit to TfL General Counsel about the "progress of the audit, i.e. the LoE, when fieldwork commences, finishes, a first draft report and any problems we have along the way” sent by TfL’s IA 17780 Internal Audit Team between 7 June and 27 July 2017.

The Mayor: Please find attached emails related to IA 17780 sent between 7 June and 27 July 2017 from Transport for London’s (TfL) Internal Audit Team and Crossrail's Head of Audit to TfL General Counsel (including emails addressed to and copied to).

The Mayor: Attachments
4632 attachment.pdf

Financial Inclusion Strategy

Caroline Russell: The London Assembly Economy Committee report, Short Changed: the Financial Health of Londoners, published in January 2018, contained the following recommendation: “Local authorities in London should work together to share good practice and identify gaps in local welfare advice and money and debt advice services—as well as continue to review debt collection practices—with the aim that each borough develops a financial inclusion strategy.” The coronavirus pandemic makes this work more urgent, especially as so many support services have gone online and the people who experience financial exclusion are also digitally excluded. What steps will the London Recovery Board take to support boroughs to reach people who are digitally and financially excluded?

The Mayor: Supporting Londoners at risk of financial and digital exclusion is at the heart of the work of the London Recovery board.
A critical aspect of the Robust Safety Net recovery mission will be to work with Local Authorities, advice services and other key partners to improve access to advice - including welfare, debt and money advice - for those at risk of financial hardship.
In response to the return to lockdown over winter, I and the ThriveLDN movement have funded the Debt Free London partnership’s debt advice helpline to run on a 24/7 basis throughout January, February and March. The helpline provides a range of access options – phone, video, WhatsApp and webchat – for Londoners struggling with their personal finances.
As we move into recovery, the mission will focus on connecting Londoners with advice, for example, by building on my successful pilot to embed welfare advisors in schools and expanding it to other community settings

Adult Education Budget

Jennette Arnold: What conversations have you had with providers about the changes to your Adult Education Budget and how this will impact them?

The Mayor: Since delegation of the Adult Education Budget (AEB), I have consulted providers on potential policy changes to the AEB, running a formal annual consultation to gather feedback from providers and other key stakeholders in the skills and employment sector. I have personally held two roundtables with further education colleges, most recently to ask how we could support them during the pandemic.
I appointed my Skills for Londoners (SfL) Board, which meets regularly to advise me on priorities for adult education in London and includes the Association of Colleges, HOLEX, and the Association of Employment and Learning Providers. I convene the SfL Business Partnership; advisory groups on higher education, outcomes, and apprenticeships; and a Task and Finish group on the London Recovery programme.
To ensure providers views are heard, I commissioned an independent evaluation of the first year of AEB delivery which found that almost 90% of providers
surveyed stating that they were ‘very’ or ‘fairly’ satisfied with the delegation of the AEB to London.

Adult Education Budget

Jennette Arnold: What conversations are you having with providers about courses to focus on getting young Londoner’s into “good work” to aid London’s recovery?

The Mayor: My Adult Education Budget (AEB) aims to support young Londoners aged 19+ to get the skills they need to succeed and ultimately to enter into good work. I have enabled AEB providers to spend more of their allocation on pre-employment and job-focused training and have widened the funding to support unemployed and low-paid learners who have already achieved a first level 3 to take a subsequent level 3 qualification, enabling young people to retrain.
For the 2021/22 academic year I am increasing funding for qualifications at Level 2 and below by 10% to improve outcomes for these learners, and I will award up to £16 million through the Good Work for All Fund to help Londoners particularly affected by the pandemic into work in sectors key to London’s recovery.
I continue to work closely with providers to shape these policy changes. My Skills for Londoners Board and its Recovery subgroup meet regularly and include provider representative bodies, and I personally held a roundtable with Further Education Colleges on pandemic response. My officers are in continual contact with providers and I will be asking all providers of the AEB to set out how they will meet the objectives of London’s recovery programme in their delivery plans for the academic year 21/22.

Crossrail verification of infrastructure and rolling stock by the Office of Rail and Road

Caroline Pidgeon: Please set out a monthly timetable for 2021 showing the remaining authorisation submissions Crossrail will be required to make for verification of their infrastructure and rolling stock to comply with all relevant standard requirements, showing:
Crossrail’s planned submissions to their approval body Ricardo Rail


Crossrail’s planned submission of the 18 chapters of their Technical File to ORR.

The Mayor: Crossrail is in continuous dialogue with the appointed Approved Body, Ricardo Rail, and submissions are made progressively. There are monthly technical meetings with the Office of Rail and Road’s (ORR’s) assessors set up by Crossrail and with Ricardo Rail in attendance, at which the scope of individual parts of the Technical File are discussed in detail. This is beneficial to both the ORR and Crossrail, as it allows early engagement and de-risks the program for authorization for entry into passenger service.
The table attached outlines the submission timetable for the Technical File Chapters

The Mayor: Attachments
Copy of 0412 attachment.xlsx

Ernst and Young investigation into Silvertown Tunnel Project

Caroline Pidgeon: Will you make a commitment to ensure that the Ernst and Young investigation into the value for money of TfL's Silvertown Tunnel Project is published in full as soon as it is completed?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has not yet received a report from Ernst and Young. Once TfL receives the report it will be reported to the next scheduled meeting of the Audit and Assurance Committee. TfL will, as always, follow the Local Government Act 1972 requirements with regard to the publication of papers. TfL is unable to consider whether the document is suitable for publication in full until it has had an opportunity to review it. There may be specific aspects that, subject to the decision of the Committee, are exempt and require consideration in private.

Brexit on London’s Non-Premiership football clubs (2)

Leonie Cooper: Are you lobbying the Government for changes to the current arrangements with the EU for Non-Premiership football clubs?

The Mayor: I am not currently lobbying for changes to the arrangements as the EFL and FA have agreed arrangements with the Home Office. Clubs and leagues have however expressed their concern about the vast impact of COVID-19 on non-Premier League clubs. I have been focusing on supporting and furthering the sustainability of grassroots sport during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The inability of clubs to sign players under 18 will require greater investment in creating talent pathways for home grown talent. Many leading English players have developed through non-premier league academy systems. Over the last 12 months, I delivered the Football Unites programme with three Premier League clubs. This pilot worked to maximise the potential of academy players to impact their community and take ownership over their own sporting development. The learnings of this pilot are set to be shared amongst non-premier league clubs in 2021.

Brexit on London’s Non-Premiership football clubs (1)

Leonie Cooper: What is the impact of the current Brexit deal going to have on London’s Non-Premiership football clubs, particularly in the context of London’s economic recovery?

The Mayor: The current Brexit deal falls short of what is best for London and key sectors of the economy. It does not come close to the benefits we enjoyed as members of the EU.
Brexit has restricted the ability of players to move easily between European clubs. The Premier League players from European Union countries will not be allowed to be signed without a work permit while foreign players under the age of 18 cannot be bought at all as part of post-Brexit regulations. I am however not aware of any direct unique impact of the Brexit deal on non-premiership football clubs.
The English Football League, Football Association and Premier League jointly agreed a Governing Body Endorsement plan with the Home Office. This will introduce a points system based on a player’s appearances and the quality of their league.

Staffing of London Overground stations

Caroline Pidgeon: Following your response to my Question 2021/0083 about future platform leasing arrangements, please could you confirm that there are no plans for TfLto withdraw London Overground platform staff from West Brompton, Highbury & Islington or Blackhorse Road stations?

The Mayor: Transport for London’s (TfL) contract with Arriva Rail London (ARL) for the London Overground includes a requirement to provide staff at these locations. These staff work closely with colleagues from London Underground to provide an integrated service at these interchanges. There are no plans to modify the contract in this regard.

Brexit on London’s theatres (2)

Leonie Cooper: Are you lobbying the Government for changes to the current arrangements with the EU for theatres?

The Mayor: Yes I am. I wrote to the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Oliver Dowden MP, on 3 February calling on Government to return to the negotiating table with the EU to ensure visa free travel for creatives, including the actors, directors, writers and backstage crew who power London’s world-leading theatre scene.
Hundreds of thousands of creative businesses have been saddled with new red tape, paperwork and customs checks, with no adequate time to prepare.
I will continue to work with London’s cultural institutions to make the case to government for improvements to the Brexit trade deal that recognise the huge economic and social benefit that London’s theatre, and wider creative industries, bring to the UK.

Brexit on London’s theatres (1)

Leonie Cooper: What is the impact of the current Brexit deal going to have on London’s theatres, particularly in the context of London’s economic recovery?

The Mayor: Thetradedeal falls short of what’s best for London, the UK and our economy and ithasnottaken into accountourimportantcreativeindustries.
The theatre industry will be particularly impacted, with new visa rules making it difficult and expensive for talent to move across borders, and increasing costs to tour productions in the EU, including additional red-tape to transport set, props and costumes across borders.
Even whilst London’s theatres are closed due to the pandemic, the impact of the deal is being felt. The National Theatre announced in February it was postponing European tours of its internationally acclaimed productions, and Equity released figures showing a third of members reported adverts requiring EU passports.
This threatens the future prosperity of London’s theatre, one of the cornerstones of Britain’s soft power internationally. The Government and EU must return to the negotiating table immediately to agree a deal for touring.

Brexit on London’s Cinemas and film industry (2)

Leonie Cooper: Are you lobbying the Government for changes to the current arrangements with the EU for cinemas and film industry?

The Mayor: Yes, I am. I wrote to the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Oliver Dowden MP,urging Government to address the impact of Brexit on culture and the creative industries.
London’s film agency Film London, which I fund, is proactively engaging with Government to address the needs of London’s world-leading film industry. I will also continue to do everything I can to help businesses deal with this challenging new reality. Information and advice for businesses can be found on my Business Hub.

Brexit on London’s Cinemas and film industry (1)

Leonie Cooper: What is the impact of the current Brexit deal going to have on London’s cinemas and film industry, particularly in the context of London’s economic recovery?

The Mayor: The trade deal falls short of what’s best for London, the UK and our economy and it has not taken into account our important creative industries.
The UK film industry is worth £3 billion a year and 100,000 jobs. Three quarters of the film industry is based in London so it is crucial to the capital’s recovery and must remain competitive.
Though we have a trade deal with the EU, changing licensing rules as a result of Brexit could damage broadcasters, while skills shortages are a key challenge. That is why my new Adult Education Budget identifies the creative industries as a priority investment, and why I am investing in Film London who helped get the majority of £1 billion of film production up and running again last year.
I will continue to work closely with Film London as they monitor the impact of Brexit and lobby Government for the support and investment film needs.

Brexit on London’s small independent music venues (2)

Leonie Cooper: Are you lobbying the Government for changes to the current arrangements with the EU for small independent music venues?

The Mayor: Yes. On 3 February, I wrote to the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Oliver Dowden MP,about the UK Government’s failureto come to a deal with the EU, which will impact heavily on our independent music venues.
In the letter, I confirmed my support of industry and cross-party calls for the UK and the EU to come back to the negotiating table with immediate effect to ensure a deal is done.
Without an agreement on smooth travel, international touring will be prohibitive, expensive and will result in fewer cultural exchanges and tours between the UK and EU.  This would be devastating for the UK’s music industry and for talent development.

Brexit on London’s small independent music venues (1)

Leonie Cooper: What is the impact of the current Brexit deal going to have on London’s small independent music venues, particularly in the context of London’s economic recovery?

The Mayor: Thetradedeal falls short of what’s best for London, the UK and our economy and ithasnottaken into accountourimportantcreativeindustries, including our important £5.8 billion music industry.
The lack of a deal over touring visas between the UK and the EU will negatively affect London’s independent venues, limiting the opportunities for EU artists to perform in the capital.
Withoutanagreement on smooth travelfor musicians andsupport crew,international touring will beprohibitive, expensive and will result in fewer cultural exchanges and tours. This would be devastating for the music industry economy, for talent development and for independent venues. This is why I have joined industry and cross-party calls for the UKGovernment to urgently come back to the negotiating table with the EU toensure a deal for touring is done.
London’s music scene will play an important part in both our economic and social recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Although many venues remain at risk, London has so far not lost any during the pandemic.

Brexit on London’s Art galleries (2)

Leonie Cooper: Are you lobbying the Government for changes to the current arrangements with the EU for art galleries?

The Mayor: Yes, I am. On 3 February, I wrote to the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Oliver Dowden MP,calling on the Government to return to the negotiating table with the EU.
Withoutclarity on the extension of the Exhibition Tax Relief scheme, anagreement on smooth transport of artwork and free movement for all arts professionals,international collaborations may become prohibitive. This will result in fewer cultural exchanges between the UK and EU.Our art galleries and institutions have been saddled with new red tape, paperwork and customs checks, without adequate time to prepare.
It is vital the government recognises the importance of London’s art galleries and institutions globally. I will continue to work with London’s cultural institutions continue to make the case to government for improvements to the Brexit trade deal that recognise the significant economic and social benefit London’s creative industries bring to the UK, and for continuation of Exhibition Tax Relief. This is due to come to an end in 2022 and will further negatively impact this important sector.

Brexit on London’s Art galleries (1)

Leonie Cooper: What is the impact of the current Brexit deal going to have on London’s art galleries, particularly in the context of London’s economic recovery?

The Mayor: The trade deal falls short of what’s best for London, the UK and our economy and it has not taken into account our important creative industries.
London’s art galleries, both in the public and commercial sectors, are at risk of losing their competitive advantage through new and restrictive regulations when transporting artworks, and increased VAT charges on imports. The impact on free movement of people and objects will also reduce opportunities for international collaborations.
London’s world-leading cultural institutions are key to our economy, reputation and soft power across the world. Cultural exchanges amongst EU countries have been central to London and our position as a global capital for the arts, a position which is now under threat.

London Restorative Justice Programme

Susan Hall: For each year 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, how many:
• Victims were referred to Restorative Justice
• Victims took up the offer of Restorative Justice
• Victims got a successful Restorative Justice outcome
• Declined the offer of Restorative Justice
• Face-to-face meetings have there been between victims and offenders?
And what was the budget for each of these years?

The Mayor: The budget for the pan-London Restorative Justice Service delivered by Restore:London for two years between 2017 and 2019 was £983,172. The budget for delivery of the pan-London Restorative Service delivered as part of the London Victim and Witness Service in 2019/20 was £206,000.
All other elements of this question were answered in the November 2020 MQ 4190
Pan-London Restorative Justice programme | Mayor's Question Time

Suicide rates

Susan Hall: For each year 2018, 2019 and 2020 how many suicides were recorded by the police in London?

The Mayor: The MPS is unable to provide this information. The MPS records over 7,000 sudden deaths per year, which are investigated as appropriate or as directed by the Coroner. Cause of death is determined by HM Coroner.

VRU 3

Susan Hall: Where will the VRU be based when City Hall moves?

The Mayor: This is yet to be decided.

VRU 2

Susan Hall: What are the current pays grades of the senior management of the VRU?

The Mayor: The Director is at SMT grade. This was independently evaluated before the current director started in post.
The Assistant Director is at Grade 1.
The Head of Strategy and Partnerships is at Grade 3.
The Head of Policy & Commissioning is at Grade 3.

VRU 1

Susan Hall: Since its creation, how much funding has the VRU received broken down by funding sources and how much has it spent?

The Mayor: Since its creation the VRU has received £34.7m, broken down as follows:
The VRU spent £10.4m in 2019/20, and due to the profiling of the committed programmes, forecasts to spend £17.3m in 2020/21 and the remaining £7m in 2021/22 and 2022/23.

Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm Funding

Susan Hall: How much funding have you allocated for the Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm?

The Mayor: London is one of the most diverse cities in the world, but many Londoners do not see themselves or their histories reflected in our public realm.
The Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm, working with London boroughs and partners across the city, will take forward a programme of work to address this.
Funding of up to £247,000 has been allocated, including up to £110,000 towards a community fund, as set out in the Mayoral Decision 2689.

Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm

Susan Hall: How were the members of the Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm selected and who had the final say on their appointment?

The Mayor: Members of the Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm were recruited through an open and transparent process via the GLA vacancies portal on London.gov.uk. Nearly 300 applications were received. The applications were assessed against criteria outlined in the prospectus for the recruitment, which was published in October 2020.
A total of 34 candidates were interviewed by a panel including the Co-Chairs of the Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm, Deputy Mayors Justine Simons OBE and Debbie Weekes-Bernard. It also included senior GLA officers from both the Communities and Social Policy and Culture and Creative Industries teams, and an independent panel member, following the best practice as set out in the Protocol on Mayoral Appointments
https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/mayoral_appointments_-_july_2018.pdf
The final list of appointed Commission members was agreed through a moderation meeting with all the panellists who provided recommendations to the Mayor.

Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm remunerations

Susan Hall: What is the total remuneration available to members of the Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm? Please give a breakdown by type. For example, expenses.

The Mayor: The position of member of the Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm is honorary and unremunerated. Appointees will be entitled to be reimbursed, in accordance with the GLA’s Expenses and Benefits Framework, for travel and other expenses reasonably incurred in performing their role.
https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/expenses_benefits_framework_-_apr_17_final.pdf
I am committed to creating an inclusive structure. Support will be considered for those individuals working as independent practitioners or in small civil society organisations or charities whose capacity may be limited, to ensure that they are able to participate fully. This will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Borough and BCU commanders

Andrew Dismore: For Barnet and Camden BCUand after merger for the relevant BCUs, and excluding holidays and short sickness absence, for the last 6 yearsplease list the names and dates of their periods in chargeof substantive, acting and temporary Borough and BCU commanders.

The Mayor: Camden Borough became part of Central North Command Unit – a history of their BOCU/BCU Commanders is below:
BOCU/BCU
Name
Status
From
Camden Borough
Penelope Banham
Commander
28/09/2015
Camden Borough
Catherine
Roper
Commander
21/11/2016
Central North Command Unit
Iain
Raphael
Commander
19/03/2018
Central North Command Unit
Treena
Fleming
Temporary Promotion
01/02/2019
Central North Command Unit
Randeep
Kohli
Commander
04/03/2019
Barnet Borough became part of North West Command Unit – a history of their BOCU/BCU Commanders is below:
BOCU/BCU
Name
Status
From
Barnet Borough
Adrian
Usher
Commander
02/04/2012
Barnet Borough
Paula
Light
Temporary Promotion
10/03/2016
Barnet Borough
Simon
Rose
Commander
04/07/2016
North West Command Unit
Sara
Leach
Temporary Promotion
21/01/2019
North West Command Unit
Simon
Rose
Commander
01/07/2019
North West Command Unit
Sara
Leach
Commander
04/11/2019
North West Command Unit
Roy
Smith
Temporary Cover
26/03/2020
North West Command Unit
Louis
Smith
Temporary Promotion
05/10/2020

GLA flight and hotel spending

Shaun Bailey: What is the total amount of money spent on flights and hotels by the GLA each year including the 2015/16 year?

The Mayor: The total spend on hotels and flights for each of previous five years is as follows:
2015/16
2016/17
2017/18
2018/19
2019/20
2020/21*
Hotels
£141,280
£39,437
£58,007
£52,001
£24,876
£134
Flights
£152,539
£102,231
£77,852
£74,150
£17,019
-£86

Actions following the death of Lucia Ciccioli

Caroline Pidgeon: I understand TfL has now put forward proposals to improve the road layout at Lavender Hill and Elspeth Road following the coroner's report into the death of Lucia Ciccioli which identified the highway design as playing a contributory factor in her death. Please state:
a) What steps has TfL taken to identify where other similar layouts are in place on TfL's road network, so that similar improvements can be implemented?
b) What steps has TfL taken to work with the London boroughs to identify where a similar road layout exists on a council managed highway?

The Mayor: The sites in Transport for London’s (TfL’s) Safer Junctions programme are determined using Excess Harm by applying a weighting to casualties based on severity and annual average daily traffic flows to determine total harm per million passenger journeys for each location. Excess harm is the additional harm observed per road segment compared to expected harm.
TfL has mapped the Casualty Harm Rate and Excess Harm data to highlight the most harmful roads and this information is available to the boroughs. Sites have not been identified where there are similarities to those found at the Lavender Hill / Elspeth Road junction because Excess Harm assessment is better for reducing road casualties. Similarly, TfL works closely with boroughs and encourages them to use a similar evidence-based approach to identifying priorities to reduce road danger on roads they manage.

Town Centre Teams

Unmesh Desai: Please provide full details of the newly introduced “Town Centre Teams”. Please include a breakdown of where these teams will be based, how many officers teams will consist of, and what their primary functions will be.

The Mayor: The MPS are seeking to invest around 650 additional officers into Town centre teams. There have been no decisions yet about the exact size and location of any future Town centre teams.
The allocation of these officers will be part of a detailed transformation project which will determine the specific distribution prior to any growth occurring. The timescales of this growth are yet to be finalised as are any decisions around consultation.
The aim of this investment will be to place officers where they will have the most impact in preventing crime and violent crime and increasing community confidence. Effective community engagement, crime suppression, enforcement activity and partnership problem solving will all be key features of these officers’ role.

Skills for Londoners Strategy (1)

Susan Hall: Further to your press release on 07/02/18, entitled “Mayor invests £25m to help build the workforce for London’s future”, can you please outline how your Skills for Londoners Strategy has since empowered all Londoners to access the education & skills to participate in society & progress in education & work, one of the key priorities at the heart of your strategy?

The Mayor: The delegation of £320m Adult Education Budget has allowed me to extend full funding to Londoners earning below the London Living Wage, Deaf Londoners training for a first qualification in British Sign Language, and fully funding Level 3 qualifications for unemployed Londoners and those on low wages. I have also introduced flexibilities to better support SEND learners.
Skills for Londoners capital funds have helped to improve London’s FE sector by providing industry relevant facilities that are accessible for learners.
I have spoken to thousands of young Londoners at Skills London, which I have supported for the past three years, and enabled the expansion of the London Enterprise Advisor Network, which is now delivering in over 500 schools.
My Construction Academy has supported over 10,000 underrepresented Londoners to complete construction training gaining the skills they need to work in this growing sector.
And my European Social Fund programme has supported nearly 1,000 participants into employment and over 200 Londoners to gain a unit or qualification at Level 3 or higher.

Young Londoners' Fund (4)

Susan Hall: Could you please provide evidence of how your £45m Young Londoners Fund has since helped to build aspiration & progression in under-achieving groups in London. What diversionary activities have been derived from the fund to keep young Londoners away from crime & to provide support to address childhood mental health & untreated trauma?

The Mayor: Another example is Southwark Inclusive Learning Service’s wellbeing project which aims to address the underlying emotional needs of the female pupils who attend their Alternative Provision. Many of the young women have experienced early trauma related to domestic violence, substance misuse and/or poverty. One aspect of this project is the delivering of targeted case work with the young person (and their mum) to build resilience and improve emotional health and relationships within the family. A list of funded projects can be found at: https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/young-londoners-fund-projects.

Mayor’s Air Quality Fund (1)

Caroline Pidgeon: Please state how much of the £22 million fund announced on 7 June 2019 has currently been allocated?

The Mayor: The total value of the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund is £22m. As you are aware, the fund has been divided into rounds over a number of years and is now in the second year of the third and final round, with £19.2m allocated to boroughs to date and the remaining £1.8m to be provided by 31st March 2022.

TfL Pay

Shaun Bailey: How many TFL employees earned over £100,000 per year in the last financial year after overtime and voluntary redundancy payments are included?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) regularly makes this information publicly available in its Annual Report which is available onlinehere[Link - http://content.tfl.gov.uk/tfl-annual-report-2019-20.pdf]. This covers all employees who have atotal remuneration in excess of £100,000, including one off severance payments and overtime worked. As it is an annual review of the figures in the financial year, the report will include some instances where previous employees and current employees in the same role are counted.
In March 2016, there were 188 Transport for London employees earning base salaries of more than £100,000. In March 2020, this had dropped 17 per cent, to 156.

County Lines

Susan Hall: For each of the years 2018, 2019 and 2020, how many county lines have been broken that originated in London?

The Mayor: The Met closed 281 lines originating from London between November 2019 and December 2020, working in collaboration with forces across the country.
For 2018 and 2019 it was not possible to extract this activity from Met systems as it is not an offence in its own right. The MPS has subsequently developed a reporting system to extract results relating to drug supply operations targeting county lines.

Catalytic converter theft

Susan Hall: For each of the years 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, how many catalytic converters have been reported stolen to the MPS?

The Mayor: Attachments
0192_Catalytic converter theft.xlsx

Long-term absence from school

Jennette Arnold: The Government does not record the data on the number of children and young people who are out of education due to long term medical conditions (aged 5-18). Will you write to the Secretaries of State for Health and Education to ask for this data for London?

The Mayor: Officers from my Education and Youth team were pleased to join you at a meeting with Bright Futures UK to discuss their current research into the impact of children missing school due to long term illness. They discussed Bright Futures UK work and request for the Government to publish the number of children and young people who have taken time out of education because of serious illness or the threat of Coronavirus. As I said in MQ0787, the Government must do more to support our most vulnerable young people who are facing the greatest barriers to their learning. I have written to the Government with my concerns over learning loss and increased attainment gaps and urge them to commit further funding to catch-up support. I will raise your request for data on the number of children and young people out of education due to long term medical conditions with the Department for Education.

Protecting firefighter health (1)

Andrew Dismore: What indications and early findings are coming from the Imperial College ongoing monitoring to assess the health of firefighters who served at Grenfell?

The Mayor: The Grenfell Firefighter Study was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Researchers from Imperial College London were able to commence the regular monitoring of firefighters in November 2020. Because of this delay, findings from this study are not yet available.

Taxi and Private Hire Trade and Masks

David Kurten: How many fines, warnings and other sanctions have been given out to i) black cab drivers, ii) private hire vehicle drivers, by TfL Compliance Officers for not wearing a face mask since 1st April 2020?

The Mayor: While the Government’s mandatory face covering regulations for public transport do not cover taxi and private hire drivers, on 15 June 2020 Transport for London (TfL) confirmed that it requires licensed taxi and private hire drivers to wear face coverings at all times whilst in their licensed vehicle (unless they are exempt).
It became mandatory for passengers using a taxi or private hire vehicle (PHV) to wear a face covering for the duration of their journey on 22 September 2020.
Between 15th June 2020 to 10th January 2021:
Note that most PHV operators have made it mandatory for drivers to wear face coverings in order to remain on their booking platform.

London waste to landfill

Susan Hall: As referenced in your 2018 press release “Mayor’s £6m fund to boost green spaces & reduce plastic waste”, are you on track to meet your ambition for London to send no biodegradable or recyclable waste to landfill by 2026?

The Mayor: In 2018/19, only 7% of London’s waste was sent to landfill, down from 13% in 2016/7. The proportion of waste sent to landfill in London is lower than the average for England (11% in 2018/9, down from 16% in 2016/7).
In order to support my ambition for London to send no biodegradable or recyclable waste to landfill by 2026, my London Environment Strategy sets out minimum standards for recycling that boroughs need to meet, so that the 6 main dry recycling materials plus food waste can be recycled wherever you live in London. All boroughs have produced a Reduction and Recycling Plan to set out how they will not only meet but go beyond these minimum standards and contribute to my London-wide targets. Twenty nine boroughs now meet the minimum standards for dry recycling, and twenty four provide separate food waste collections. Where boroughs are not already meeting my minimum service level my officers have worked with them to set out in their RRPs and contract procurement documents a commitment and clear road map of how and when they will do so.
Achieving this ambition will also require improvement in recycling from businesses. I have no powers to direct businesses to deliver my strategy but if the RRPs are implemented the number of boroughs providing commercial waste recycling services will increase from 29 to 31. This includes 18 boroughs looking to grow their commercial waste service offering. Additionally, through the London Waste and Recycling Board (LWARB), I am supporting boroughs in developing their commercial waste services by offering individual support and service reviews and establishing a commercial waste forum for the exchange of knowledge and good practice. LWARB are also developing support for commercial food waste services within boroughs and launching a commercial waste section of the London Recycles website.
However, we still need government to provide more support. I estimate that London requires a minimum of £100m of investment in local recycling services to reach my targets and have requested this money from the UK Government. The upcoming budget will be an opportunity for the Government to provide its fair share of funding for investment in local authority services to drive up recycling performance.

Reduce Plastic Waste (2)

Susan Hall: Please provide an update on coffee cup collection schemes as well as a plastic bottle deposit return scheme, as referred to in your 2018 press release “Mayor’s £6m fund to boost green spaces & reduce plastic waste”. Are “bottle banks” or “reverse vending schemes” where consumers get a voucher when they return bottles, now in operation in London?

The Mayor: Reducing London’s waste is a key aim of my environment strategy and I am keen to see our reliance on single use plastic reduced.
Through the London Waste and Recycling Board (LWARB) Advance London programme I am supporting CupClub which aims to reduce the use of disposable cups by offering a returnable service for both hot and cold drinks containers. I am also leading by example on reducing disposable coffee cups and introduced a charge for disposable coffee cups in the café at City Hall. However, industry is now taking action on this issue with most chains offering reductions for people using reusable cups and some London landlords, such as Canary Wharf, having installed bins which facilitate recycling by allowing people to segregate their coffee cups from other waste. I also supported the Hubbub Cup Fund, which installed coffee cup recycling facilities at five locations across London (Bankside, London Bridge, Camden, Brixton and Mayfair) with the aim of recycling 4 million cups a year.
Costa Coffee are now running a national coffee cup recycling scheme with the necessary infrastructure in place which will accept disposable coffee cups from any vendor.
A plastic bottle deposit return scheme has been considered for London but in order for such a scheme to be successful it will have to be implemented on a national scale. Following the publication of their Resources and Waste Strategy in December 2018 the government ran consultations on a number of measures in 2019, one of which was a national Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for plastic bottles. I strongly supported this proposal and urged the government to go further to include the widest possible range of items and materials. I stated that London’s local authorities should be seen as a key partner in the development and operation of any DRS scheme, both for the hosting of reverse vending machines and in public engagement activity. Government have stated that they plan to introduce a DRS from 2023, subject to further consultation and analysis. Plans for the further consultation have been delayed but GLA officers are ready to engage with government when this takes place to ensure that London is at the forefront of planning and that any DRS scheme introduced has the greatest possible impact.

Reduce Plastic Waste (1)

Susan Hall: Further to your press release dated 14/02/18, entitled “Mayor’s £6m fund to boost green spaces & reduce plastic waste”, please provide an update relating to your collaboration with Thames Water & City to Sea since, with the aim of introducing a Refill scheme, enabling Londoners to reuse their bottles & cups to top up free tap water from local shops & businesses.

The Mayor: To reduce single-use plastic bottle waste in London, I entered partnerships with Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and Thames Water to install a network of drinking fountains across London. I installed 28 drinking fountains with ZSL and have agreed to install over 100 more with Thames Water, 53 of which have been installed to date.
Advice from the NHS and the World Health Organization is that COVID-19 is not a waterborne virus and that the risk of catching it from a public drinking fountain is very low. However, as a precaution, the Thames Water and ZSL drinking fountains are temporarily closed and new installations have been paused. Local authorities have also temporalily closed their drinking fountains as a precaution.
I have also partnered with City to Sea to support the Refill London campaign, a water refill scheme where people can go into shops and businesses and ask for a free water refill instead of buying one. There are now over 3,300 refill points across the city, up from approximately 200 when the programme started in March 2018.

Skills for Londoners Strategy (3)

Susan Hall: In relation to your investment of £25m into London’s workforce in 2018, please explain how one of your key priorities for your Skills for Londoners Strategy is delivering a strategic city-wide technical skills & adult education offer.

The Mayor: In 2019, London Councils and I jointly published our ‘Call for Action’, setting out the steps needed to allow London government to create a joined up, city-wide technical skills and adult education offer.
Since then, I have improved access to information to support learners and employers and improved progression pathways; my Digital Talent Programme (DTP) has signposted nearly 2000 young Londoners to access information, events and guidance for digital, technology and digital-creative roles. My Apprenticeship pilot has raised £3.5m of unspent levy, which is now being used to create new apprenticeships and upskill the workforce.
SfL capital funds have helped to improve London’s FE sector to provide industry relevant and accessible facilities for learners which includes 3000m2 of new or improved learning floorspace supported by my MCA Capital Fund. Over 800 educators have been supported to deliver qualifications through the DTP.
I have extended funding and introduced flexibilities to support more Londoners through the devolved Adult Education Budget

The Met’s Estate Strategy (2)

Caroline Pidgeon: Will MOPAC be working with the Met on how they dispose of any properties identified as no longer required in the Estate Strategy, particularly in looking at making sure the Met works with local authorities to ensure that not only maximum price is considered, but that for certain sites supplementary planning documents are worked up to ensure redevelopment of sites requires either community-based uses or developments with acceptable levels of affordable housing, regardless of their size?

The Mayor: Yes, MOPAC has a duty to maximise its value from disposals in order to meet its requirement to secure that the Met police force is efficient and effective. MOPAC generally demonstrates this requirement by disposing of the surplus sites in the open market on an unconditional basis. It is for the local planning authority to determine the use of sites and levels of affordable housing within the Mayor’s London plan requirements. It is a Mayoral priority to increase affordable housing in London and when bidding on the basis of residential redevelopment bidders will be asked to acknowledge that when making an offer they have had regard to relevant planning policies. This includes existing local authority policies on minimum affordable housing requirements, the Mayor's SPG on affordable housing and the draft London Plan. Parties will be encouraged to review the GLA funding available for the provision of affordable housing through the Mayor's 'Homes for Londoners: Affordable Homes Programme 2016-2021.’

Fountains for London

Susan Hall: Following on from your funding announcement to boost green spaces in 2018, how successful was your work with the #OneLess campaign in finding suitable fountain sites in London? Have all 20 fountains now been installed?

The Mayor: Yes. This was achieved in May 2019, partnering with Zoological Society of London (ZSL), 28 water fountains were installed as part the #OneLess campaign. Since February 2018 these fountains have dispended 413,790L of water (the equivalent of 827,580 half litre plastic water bottles). Locations that were highly accessible, with high footfall were selected including green spaces like Highbury fields, Islington Green, Paddington Recreation Ground and Camberwell Green.
The full list of ZSL fountain locations is available here - https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/environment/waste-and-recycling/single-use-plastic-bottles#acc-i-56178
Advice from the NHS and the World Health Organization is that COVID-19 is not a waterborne virus and that the risk of catching it from a public drinking fountain is very low. However, as a precaution, the drinking fountains have been temporarily closed.

1st National Park City

Susan Hall: As referred to in your 2018 press release regarding your £6m fund to boost green spaces & reduce plastic waste, how far away are you from your goal for London to become the first National Park City, by funding more tree planting & green spaces?

The Mayor: This goal was achieved in July 2019, when the National Park City Foundation confirmed London as the world’s first National Park City, endorsed by the International Union for Nature Conservation (Urban Alliance), ICLEI and World Urban Parks.
The funding for tree planting and green spaces announced in 2018 was part of my Greener City Fund, which in total has invested £13 million in over 300 projects that have enhanced more than 400 hectares of green space.
This includes planting over 280,000 trees, more than the previous Mayor planted over his two terms. Funding has also been allocated for a further 140,000 trees to be planted by March 2022, including creating 85 hectares of newly accessible woodland in the Green Belt.
My funding has supported over 200 community green space projects focused on improving access in areas of highest need, most recently through my Grow Back Greener Fund. I have also funded 6 major capital schemes including a new swimming lake at Beckenham Place Park, restoring the Turkey Brook in Enfield, and creating new habitats to improve biodiversity at Brent River Park in Ealing.

School signage

Jennette Arnold: Concerns have been raised with me about road safety around Hackney New Primary School in my constituency. I understand that the signage on Kingsland Road (cornered Downham Road) is very unclear and does not alert drivers to the fact there is a local primary school and will be children crossing. Can you assure me TfL will be amending this?

The Mayor: Thank you for bringing this to my attention. Transport for London road safety engineers will review the signage around the school during the week commencing 22 February and will make any necessary adjustments to ensure the safety of local school children. I have asked that they update you once the inspection has been carried out.

Dangerous Cladding

Shaun Bailey: How many Londoners are impacted by dangerous cladding?

The Mayor: The precise number of Londoners, homes and indeed buildings affected is unknown. Information released by MHCLG in January 2021 states that 250 high-rise residential and publicly owned buildings over 18 metres in London have, or have had, unsafe aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding systems. The number of buildings under 18 metres with unsafe ACM cladding is not known. With regard to unsafe non-ACM external wall systems, as at 5 February 2021 the Building Safety Fund had received 1,628 registrations for buildings over 18 metres in London, though not all of these will be eligible. The number of buildings under 18 metres with unsafe non-ACM cladding is not known.
In a letter to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government in September 2020, I called on the Government to establish a much more comprehensive method for tracking and enforcing building owners’ responsibility to inspect and, if necessary, remediate their external walls. Three and half years on from Grenfell, it is unacceptable that the extent of the building safety crisis is still unknown.
Sources:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/960212/Building_Safety_Data_Release_January_2021.pdf
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/959906/BSF_Data_Release_Stats_11_February_2021.pdf

MSG Sphere Light and Noise Concerns

Shaun Bailey: Are you aware of the views of local residents in New Garden Quarter, Stratford who have light and noise concerns in relation to the MSG Sphere? Will you make representations to the local council on this matter?

The Mayor: This planning application is referable and so, following consideration of the application by the LLDC (as the local planning authority), it will be referred to me for my final stage 2 decision.
As part of the referral process LLDC will send all comments and representations they received on the application. I will consider the application in line with the relevant planning policies in the development plan. In London the development plan comprises the relevant local planning authority’s local plan and my London Plan.

TfL Lighting Works at A12/Wick Lane

Unmesh Desai: The crossing of the A12 at Wick Lane has seen improvements made by the Highways Authority. Can TfL provide a date for when the TfL contractor will attend the site and reset the lighting times and update the lighting heads as required to finish the works?

The Mayor: The works at this junction were carried out by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which will be able to provide the requested information.There are no planned works by Transport for London taking place at the traffic signals at this location, which are currently working normally.

Covering the Cost of Concessions

Shaun Bailey: Will the Council Tax and Congestion Charge increases be sufficient to cover the cost of concessions? How much do you estimate you will raise from each one and how much does each concession cost?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) forecasts that the cost of relevant travel concessions for 2021-22 is between £110m and £130m. The proposed council tax increase will raise in the region of £43m, leaving between £67m and £87m to be covered by projected Congestion Charge income. TfL estimates that the June 2020 changes to the Congestion Charge would raise an additional £140m in 2021-22 if in place for the full year, compared to what would have been raised had the charge level and scope not be widened. The Congestion Charge increase was required by the Government in its agreement to fund TfL for the first half of the current financial year 2020-21.
Also, please see my response to MQ 2020/0148

Covid-19 Fixed Penalty Notice Increase

Unmesh Desai: The Met’s Covid-19 dashboard indicates that a far higher number of fines have been handed out during the third national lockdown than during either of the previous two. What are the reasons for this?

The Mayor: While it is clear that the overwhelming majority of Londoners have continued to do the right thing during lockdown by staying at home, wearing masks and not gathering, a small minority have continued to ignore rules put in place to protect the NHS and save lives.

Electric Bike Thefts

Steve O'Connell: For each year 2018, 2019 and 2020, how many Electric Bikes have been reported stolen?

The Mayor: We are unable to provide this specific data. In the calendar year of 2020, over 23,600 bicycles were stolen. However, there is no unique property code on the Crime Recording System that records a property type as an ‘electric bike’, so no further breakdowns are possible.

Tube noise near Fitzrovia

Andrew Dismore: Residents are now reporting 50db noise here, which is untenable. What are TfL's plans to reduce tube noise here permanently?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) regularly inspects the condition of the track in the Fitzrovia area. The most recent inspection, which was carried out in February 2021, found that the track remains in good condition. There has been no significant increase in rail roughness or any other issues which would be expected to cause an increase in noise in this location.
Overall rail roughness in the Fitzrovia area is still relatively low, and rail grinding would likely result in only a minimal reduction in noise and vibration at this stage. TfL will continue to keep this area under review for future interventions. Once residential noise monitoring has resumed, TfL will ensure that updated readings are carried out in this area.
TfL is only aware of one residential noise complaint within the past twelve months in this area. It is important that residents get in touch with the TfL Contact Centre if there are any issues, as this allows TfL to determine any noise ‘hotspots’. Key sites are reviewed on a monthly basis by senior responsible managers.

Met Police (2)

Shaun Bailey: How many police stations were there in London for each year from and including 2015/16 to the current year?

The Mayor: A Police Station is defined as an operational building with a Front Counter. Due to the sustained reduction in funding from the Government, the number of buildings with Front Counters annually from 31st December 2015 had to be reduced, as shown below.
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
Number of Operational Buildings with a Front Counter
73
73
37
37
36
36
The count of Front Counter numbers were recorded on the 31st December of each year.
In the previous years the number of front counters were
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Number of Operational Buildings with a Front Counter
149
148
142
136
133
73
73

Data collation and transparency on social housing stock

Siân Berry: Could you start collating and publishing figures for all changes in social housing stock in London every year, including new build occupations, demolitions, acquisitions, right to buy sales, and other sales including housing association sell-offs?

The Mayor: This data can already be freely obtained online, largely from statistics published by the Ministry for Housing Community and Local Government or the Regulator of Social Housing.

Support for London’s rough sleepers [1]

Siân Berry: How much of the additional £10 million in funding for extra support to help protect rough sleepers and renters from the effects of the coronavirus crisis, announced on 8 January 2021 by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, will be allocated to London?

The Mayor: The GLA received £512,000 of the Government’s ‘Protect Plus’ funding announced on 8 January 2021, which is being used to continue the provision of support and accommodation for homeless people otherwise unable to self-isolate during the pandemic. Individual London boroughs also received funding from ‘Protect Plus’, although the MHCLG has not published these allocations.

Support for London’s rough sleepers [2]

Siân Berry: One of the recommendations in the London Assembly Housing Committee letter to you, after its review of affordable home ownership in March 2020, was that you: “should urgently expand specialist, pan-London services for groups such as young people, BAME people, veterans, LGBT+ people, and people escaping domestic abuse.” We have yet to hear back from you on these recommendations. Could you provide an update on what additional support you have given to these groups during the coronavirus crisis?

The Mayor: I am doing everything I can with the limited resources available to me to contribute to the provision of specialist services. During the pandemic, I launched a bespoke service for young rough sleepers, in the hotel for people coming through my new triage hubs. I am also grant-funding Veterans Aid’s Welfare to Wellbeing service and the Stonewall/Outside Project shelter for homeless LGBT+ Londoners. In addition, through my Move On Programme, I am delivering homes and specialist support including, through my Casa Project, to victims of domestic abuse – with the forthcoming duty on the GLA to provide support to victims in safe accommodation giving me the opportunity to much-enhance my work in this area. I completely recognise the desperate need for more to be done. But with the bulk of my rough sleeping budget dedicated to major services such as London Street Rescue, No Second Night Out and the Tenancy Sustainment Teams, we need to look to Government for the funding needed.

Contracting of Private Companies to Support Building Control Sign-Off

Caroline Pidgeon: Can you confirm reports that the GLA is using a contracted private company to support applicants to the Building Safety Fund in getting the building control sign-off required for remedial works? If this is the case, can you please provide details of how much the private company in question is being paid for this work and why it was not deemed more appropriate for the GLA to instead use such money to support the building control departments of borough councils in getting these approvals more swiftly?

The Mayor: The GLA has not contracted a private company to support Building Safety Fund applicants in obtaining building control sign off for remedial works.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has, however, made advice and support from consultants and construction experts available to those applicants who may benefit from it, to drive forward the pace of remediation.

Role of the Crossrail High Level Forum and Crossrail Planning Forum

Caroline Pidgeon: What role will the Crossrail High Level Forum and the Crossrail Planning Forum continue to play in the oversight of Crossrail at a Borough level?

The Mayor: Following the transfer of Crossrail’s governance to Transport for London (TfL), a review has taken place of the stakeholder forums established when major construction work began. The review’s purpose was to update the engagement approach for borough stakeholder oversight now the project has entered its final phases, with the focus on the opening of the line.
The Planning Forum was set up for Crossrail consultation with local planning authority officers on planning matters. It was intended to agree processes for, and monitor the implementation of, the Crossrail Act. There are no known remaining planning issues pertaining to the Act, and the oversite developments at Elizabeth line stations will be progressed through the usual planning legislation. In light of there being no outstanding planning matters, the forum no longer fulfils its intended purpose and, therefore, will be discontinued.
The High-Level Forum was set up as a consultative forum with local authority leaders regarding the organisation, methods, objectives and timetable for the development of Crossrail. Since the passing of the Hybrid Bill, the Forum has met annually and has been alternately chaired by me and a representative of the Department for Transport (DfT). Borough leaders, the Permanent Secretary at the DfT, and TfL’s Commissioner are among the invitees. Both Crossrail Ltd and TfL have continued to engage with borough leaders and local authority officers outside this meeting through regular senior level meetings, attendance at Public Transport Liaison meetings and written communications. More recently, the focus has switched to more localised issues rather than high-level matters. The High-Level Forum has therefore been discontinued. However, Crossrail Ltd and TfL will of course continue their extensive engagement with boroughs.

Support for the Relocation of Displaced Traders at Elephant and Castle

Caroline Pidgeon: I understand that the displaced market traders at Elephant and Castle have had productive discussions with Southwark Council around alternative spaces but that there are still unresolved issues, including around funding of kiosks and storage issues. Will you join these discussions and consider helping in any way you can to ensure these traders can continue to trade and their livelihoods are protected?

The Mayor: I have always been clear that the small traders at the Elephant and Castle shopping centre should get a fair deal. Whilst the Delancey planning application was still subject to my consideration, my officers worked hard with Southwark Council and the developer to negotiate an enhanced business relocation strategy including on-site affordable retail space, business advice, financial support and a database of relocation opportunities within the surrounding area.
These are now planning obligations which are secured and governed by a Section 106 legal agreement. Southwark Council is party to that agreement, and as the appropriate public authority I would expect it to broker on-going detailed discussions on these matters.

Changes to Healthcare Provision in Met Custody Suites (2)

Caroline Pidgeon: An advertisement for Custody Nurse Practitioner roles in the Met specifically states – “You won’t always have a team to call on or a doctor to consult.” Given the often-complex medical needs of those in custody, particularly around the prescribing of medication and treatment following taser use, and the need to safeguard officers and Met staff, do you think it is appropriate that the new healthcare model being introduced provides custody nurses with no face-to-face clinical support from doctors?

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has assured me that Custody Nurse Practitioners (CNPs) always have a team to call on, at least another 12 CNPs on duty, an area manager and a Forensic Medical Examiner (FME) to consult.
The MPS have removed the sentence “you won’t always have a team to call on or a doctor to consult” from the website as this was misleading.

Increase in Online Child Sexual Abuse and Imagery

Caroline Pidgeon: The Chief Executive of the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) recently warned that children were at greater risk of being approached or groomed by strangers online than ever before and this has been supported by the evidence of increased grooming and abuse online, with the IWF itself receiving a 15% increase in reports from 2020 compared with the previous year. How are you working with the Met and others to step up the response to child sexual abuse and grooming online given the growing risk to children across London?

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) remain committed to tackling online child sexual abuse and exploitation (OCSAE) in all its forms. In January 2020, my Budget provided funding for the MPS to increase the number of specialist investigators tackling OCSAE offences from 76 to 184.
A specialist 2-week intensive OCSAE training course has been developed to ensure these officers are equipped with the right skills to undertake these specialist investigations. Over 100 investigators have successfully completed this course within the last 8 months.
The MPS also continue to work closely with the Home Office, law enforcement partners and child protection charities to prevent and detect the sharing of child sexual abuse material

Boundary Charge (2)

Keith Prince: What impact would you expect a £3.50 - £5.50 boundary charge to have on those businesses which rely on customers driving to them from outside Outer London?

The Mayor: I have asked Transport for London (TfL) to undertake a feasibility study into a potential Greater London Boundary Charge for non-residents. As part of this, TfL will undertake an initial assessment of the impact of options on traffic, the environment, health, equality and the economy, including local businesses. The full findings of the study are expected later in the year.

Boundary Charge (1)

Keith Prince: What assessment has TfL done on the extent to which London businesses – particularly Outer London businesses - rely on customers from outside of London driving to them?

The Mayor: I have asked Transport for London (TfL) to undertake a feasibility study into a potential Greater London Boundary Charge for non-residents. As part of this, TfL will undertake an initial assessment of the impact of options on traffic, the environment, health, equality and the economy, including Outer London businesses. The full findings of the study are expected later in the year.

Work & Health Programme

Susan Hall: How has your support for the Work & Health Programme resulted in better integration with skills provision in London?

The Mayor: The Work & Health Programme (WHP) has been devolved to the Boroughs via London’s four borough Sub-Regional Partnerships (SRP’s).
I have worked closely with London Councils and the SRPs to ensure that London’s Adult Education Budget (AEB) is helping to respond to local need. From this academic year, and as part of the Skills Recovery Package awarded by the Government, I provided an additional £2m AEB to support Londoners newly unemployed or who are accessing the Work and Health Programme to get the skills they need to succeed.
The London Recovery Programme, particularly through its mission to Help Londoners into Good Work, is facilitating greater coordination of DWP, GLA and London Councils skills and employment support services to ensure there is no wrong door for Londoners seeking support.

Flexible Support Funds (1)

Susan Hall: How has your call on the Government to make use of Flexible Support Funds been advantageous for disadvantaged Londoners?

The Mayor: The Flexible Support Fund (FSF) is a Government fund controlled by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
The Government’s use of its FSF has helped some Londoners with the extra costs associated with finding a job. Government officers have informed us that, since the outbreak of COVID-19, additional funding has been made available and the DWP has procured 150 Flexible Support Contracts in London, providing support to a range of groups, including lone parents, 18-24 year olds, older Londoners, people with disabilities, and ex-offenders.
Whilst I support this, I would still like to see the FSF utilised more to assist disadvantaged Londoners in a coordinated way across London. This is why I have asked my officers to work closely with DWP and Jobcentre Plus to identify ways for the DWP Fund to support the priorities of the London Recovery Programme. Active discussions are currently taking place about how best this can be achieved.

Covid Marshalls (1)

Keith Prince: Given we have Covid Marshalls on TfL rail, do you have plans to put them on the rest of the Transport network?

The Mayor: Face covering compliance and enforcement activity is being undertaken across of all of Transport for London’s (TfL) network. This activity is being undertaken by over 500 TfL enforcement officers or by TfL-contracted operators on DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail and trams. TfL Rail uses these same resources. In addition to this, the British Transport Police and the Metropolitan Police (for the bus network) undertake their own compliance and enforcement activity.

Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm (2)

Gareth Bacon: Question 2020/3631 stated that, "Commission members are being recruited through an open selection process to provide independent input, expertise and challenge." Can you confirm that you are satisfied that all members of your Commission will provide "independent input"?

The Mayor: Yes, I am satisfied that members of the Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm will provide independent input, expertise and challenge to the matters brought before them.
Commission members are independent from both the Mayor’s Office and Greater London Authority and carry with them a valuable and diverse range of expertise including the arts, public art, broadcast, built environment, architecture, community engagement and business, that will help shape the vital work of the Commission. The Commission will be supported and informed by a Partners Board and a Boroughs Working Group.

Immigration Enforcers

Murad Qureshi: Are you concerned about London’s landlords becoming de facto immigration enforcers with right to rent checks after Brexit? What discussions, if any, have you had with the Government on this issue?

The Mayor: Yes. Even prior to Brexit, evidence from the JCWI indicated Right to Rent would make landlords less likely to let to foreign nationals and those with unfamiliar documentation even if they are entitled to access housing. I concurred with the High Court ruling that Right to Rent results in discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived nationality and was disappointed that the Court of Appeal ruled in the Government’s favour that such discrimination is justified.Brexit will only add another layer of complexity and confusion to the system.
My team have lobbied Government persistently via the Home Office’s Right to Rent consultative panel, most recently in August 2020. Efforts to persuade Government to scrap the policy have been in vain, despite criticism from landlord and tenant groups, as well as the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration. An evaluation exercise being carried out by the Home Office has been paused during Covid-19. The final report is scheduled for spring 2021. My team will be picking this up with the Home Office, as well as lobbying for the regulations to be scrapped as part of the forthcoming Renters Reform Bill.

Update on TfL Royal Oak proposal

Murad Qureshi: Since TfL dropped the coach station proposal at Royal Oak, can we have an update on how and what TfL now intend to develop on the same site?

The Mayor: Located only a few hundred metres from Paddington Station, Transport for London's (TfL) Royal Oak site remains a significant brownfield site (1.28 hectares) with great potential for the local community and London. Development of this site could provide new sustainable homes, employment spaces, public realm improvements as well as significant transport infrastructure enhancements such as step-free access at Royal Oak station. The publication of the Westminster City Plan Main Modifications, which may include the site within the Paddington Opportunity Area, will inform TfL’s future plans for the site.

Landlord License Checker

Murad Qureshi: How many Londoners have used the Landlord Licence Checker, six months since it was introduced?

The Mayor: The Property Licence Checker (PLC) was launched on 17 November 2020. As at 16 February 2021, 14,500 Londoners have used the PLC to find out whether their privately rented property is likely to require a licence, with a total of 45,500 viewing the webpage to learn more about property licensing. Where a licence is required to rent out the property, the PLC links Londoners to the relevant borough website where they can check whether their landlord has obtained this. Renters can report unlicensed properties to boroughs to investigate via my Report a Rogue Landlord or Agent tool.
The great extent to which the PLC has been used in its first three months shows how valuable it is for renters. It is just one of the tools and projects I have put in place to improve life for renters, despite having no formal powers over private renting in London.

End of the Eviction Ban

Murad Qureshi: Do you agree that there is a need for legal aid provision for London’s renters being forced out of their properties after the eviction ban ends in March?

The Mayor: Yes. Cuts to legal aid brought about by the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 have made it even harder for low income private renters (as well as many other vulnerable people) to access the support they need to assert their rights and protect themselves from eviction. Even before the pandemic, these cuts had resulted in increased pressure on the courts, a lack of access to early advice that can prevent housing problems escalating and many legal advice services for vulnerable people closing their doors. In the aftermath of the pandemic, these services will be needed more than ever as the courts attempt to process an unprecedented backlog of cases and a likely surge in demand connected to Covid-related arrears. I agree with housing charity Shelter that legal aid must be urgently brought back for early advice for housing issues, and benefits and debt must be brought back in scope, so that people can avoid not just rent and mortgage arrears, but also crippling financial and personal hardship.

All-age careers information

Susan Hall: How has your all-age careers information, advice & guidance offer for London assisted Londoners of all ages?

The Mayor: I set out my vision for an all-age careers information and advice guidance offer for London in my Careers for Londoners Action Plan, which was published in November 2018 at Skills London. I continue to support this major careers event, which was successful in attracting over 34,000 young people annually to raise awareness of careers opportunities, before it moved to a virtual platform for schools and colleges in 2020.
Since publication of the action plan, the London Enterprise Advisor Network (LEAN) has engaged537schools and colleges and recruited over600Enterprise Advisers from more than 370 different business organisations, and engaged over 1600 students and 1100 business volunteers through networking events.
We continue to work closely with the National Careers Service provider for London to ensure the service it offers for Londoners aged 19+ reaches as many priority groups as possible, including during the pandemic, during which time eligibility for the service was widened to reflect greater demand.

Construction in London

Murad Qureshi: What effect, if any, will Brexit and the end to freedom of movement have on the construction workforce in London? And what effect will that have on your affordable house building plans?

The Mayor: I am concerned the end of freedom of movement will have a significant effect on London’s construction workforce.
Workers born in the EEA account for around a third of jobs in London’s construction sector overall, many in lower skilled occupations. Previous GLA Economics analysis also found that a relatively large share of EEA workers are self-employed and this employment status is particularly common among those working in construction.
I have a range of policies which aim to support greater use of modern methods of construction so that labour can be used more efficiently, including my Mayoral Construction Academy, which is identifying and addressing skills gaps.
However, the Government needs to ensure immigration routes support the construction sector, including for self-employed and lower skilled roles, over the short to medium term. Not doing so will threaten the continued progress we’ve made to deliver the affordable homes that Londoners urgently need.

Rotherhithe-Canary Wharf crossing

Alison Moore: Please provide an update on your plans for a fast ferry service between Rotherhithe and Canary Wharf?

The Mayor: Given continued uncertainty over Transport for London’s long-term financial position, my response to Mayor’s Question 2020/2375 remains the current position.

Programmes for disadvantaged Londoners (1)

Susan Hall: Since the delivery of your Skills for Londoners Strategy what has, to date, been the impact of any programmes to target the most disadvantaged Londoners?

The Mayor: Between August 2019 and April 2020, nearly 200,000 learners benefited from funding through my Adult Education Budget programme. Of these, 70% were women, 56% were Black and ethnic minority Londoners, and 15% had a learning difficulty, disability and/or health problem.
My Digital Talent Programme has supported over 2,000 young Londoners to access better careers education, information advice and guidance and helped 361 learners into work placements.
My Apprenticeships Programme has raised £3.5m in pledges to help businesses to employ more apprentices.
Over 17,500 learners have completed construction training and over 6,000 construction learners have sustained employment or an apprenticeship for at least six months across my Construction Academy Hub areas. Over 30% of the learners in sustained employment or training are Black and ethnic minority Londoners.
My 2019-23 European Social Fund programme has committed over £60m to interventions targeting disadvantaged Londoners, including those at risk of being exploited by gang activity and homeless Londoners.

Bus route changes coinciding with the opening of the central section of Crossrail

Caroline Pidgeon: What consultations will TfL carry out during 2021 ahead of potential changes to bus routes to match travel pattern changes caused by the central opening of Crossrail?

The Mayor: Consultation on changes to bus services in line with the opening of Crossrail were carried out in 2017. At that time, Transport for London (TfL) concluded that, following feedback there would be several changes to the proposals. These are outlined in the consultation report that was published https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/buses/elizabeth-line/
Some of these have already been implemented and the rest will follow when the various sections of the Elizabeth Line become operational. As is normal with bus service changes, TfL will continue to monitor travel demand.

Culture Seeds Funding Programme (2)

Susan Hall: Which London boroughs submitted bids for your Culture Seeds Funding Programme, which ones were successful, and how much were the successful bids for?

The Mayor: London Boroughs were not eligible to apply for Culture Seeds. Grants were targeted at grassroots organisations and individuals representing their communities.
Projects have been funded in all London Boroughs. Boroughs were also engaged through a programme of roadshows and outreach events with the aim of supporting community projects in all London boroughs to apply. Culture Seeds received 1,382 applications and £1.02m was awarded to 242 successful projects across all London boroughs. A list of all projects can be found on the London.gov.uk website.
https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/arts-and-culture/current-culture-projects/culture-seeds/projects-weve-funded

London universities’ drop-out rates

Susan Hall: What did your research, to better understand the higher drop-out rates from London universities, flag up? What measures have you since introduced to help mitigate this?

The Mayor: Research commissioned by the GLA delivered by the Social Market Foundation (Building on Success) identified the main drivers of non-continuation in London universities. It found that students at lower tariff Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) who had taken non-A level routes (e.g. BTECs) or lived with their parents or guardians while studying were more at risk of not continuing. Black students tend to be overrepresented in these groups compared with other ethnic groups. At medium and higher tariff universities students from lower socio-economic groups were more at risk of dropping out.
The report recommended that the Office for Students explore alternative metrics to identify disadvantaged students in HE, which is something I have since called on the Office for Students to introduce. The existing measure, the Participation of Local Areas (POLAR), is likely to understate the numbers of students from less advantaged backgrounds in London progressing to higher education.

Tube Travel Payment Methods

Shaun Bailey: What statistics do you have for how users pay for their travel on the tube broken down by the different method of payments in % terms?

The Mayor: The table below shows the number of Tube customers in the eight weeks between 6 December 2020 – 1 February 2021 by their purchase behaviour during that period.
“Tube user” is defined as any customer making at least one smartcard tap at any Tube station during the last eight weeks. This analysis does not include any customers purchasing and using paper tickets; paper tickets account for 10 per cent of all travel made using the Tube, most of which are retailed by National Rail train operating companies.
This analysis covers eight weeks as this data is only retained at an individual card level for eight weeks after the card is used. Beyond this point, the journey data in the ticketing system is disassociated from a card.
Tube user purchase behaviour
Number of cards (m)
Proportion of cards (%)
No purchases made - used Contactless Payment Card or mobile payment (e.g. Apple Pay) to travel using contactless, existing Pay As You Go credit or season ticket purchased before 6 December
2.94
63.5
No purchases made - travelled using a concessionary pass (e.g. Freedom Pass) or with a season ticket (e.g. annual) purchased before 6 December or existing Pay As You Go credit
0.62
13.3
Made one or more purchases at a location other than a Tube station, e.g. Oyster Ticket Stop or National Rail station (payment method uncertain)
0.48
10.4
Made one or more purchases at a Tube station using card
0.41
8.9
Made one or more purchases at a Tube station using cash
0.12
2.5
Made two or more purchases at a Tube station using both cash and card
0.06
1.2
Total
4.63
100

Bus Operator Ferry Driving and Covid-19 Risk (2)

Keith Prince: How many ferry drivers are working across London’s Bus Operation?

The Mayor: As these are bespoke arrangements made by bus operators to get their drivers to and from their places of work, and as many drivers make their own way to the garage or the start of the route, Transport for London does not hold data on the number of ferry drivers working across London’s bus operators.
Please also see my response to Mayor’s Question 2020/0544.

Safer Neighbourhood Boards (1)

Caroline Pidgeon: What support is being given to Safer Neighbourhood Boards to meet virtually during the Covid-19 pandemic?

The Mayor: MOPAC and the MPS have continued to support Safer Neighbourhood Boards (SNBs) throughout the pandemic in terms of funding, advice and practical support on how to operate during these extraordinary times. At the local level, SNBs are supported by local authorities and voluntary sector agencies and they have been well placed to facilitate virtual meetings. In addition, there is facility for SNBs to redirect funding to address changing needs and priorities, including any additional burdens associated with meeting virtually.

Downloading the NHS Track and Trace Application by Met Officers and Staff

Caroline Pidgeon: What advice is the Met giving to officers and staff regarding downloading the NHS Track and Trace application on their work phones given officers in particular may visit several public and personal addresses throughout the time they are on duty?

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) follows the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) guidance on downloading the NHS Track and Trace app, specifically the app must not be downloaded on to police-issue devices.
As the app works by tracking a person’s location this could impact on sensitive operations, potentially disclosing officer locations.

MPS/MOPAC Commissioning (1)

Steve O'Connell: Can you provide a breakdown of all MOPAC-specific commissioning spending for the last 3 years?

The Mayor: The following table provides an analysis of MOPAC commissioning over the period requested.

Zero Emissions Buses in London (4)

Leonie Cooper: Now that all twelve Low Emission Bus Zones are operational what assessment has been made of the impact they are having on air quality?

The Mayor: All 12 Low Emission Bus Zones (LEBZs) were delivered between 2017 and 2019, ahead of the planned delivery date of 2020. The Greater London Authority published an evaluation report in September 2019 with hugely positive results. It showed that these zones cut bus NOx emissions by an average of 90 per cent across the routes operating in them as a result of buses having been upgraded to meet the Euro VI engine emission standard.
As of 1 January 2021, all buses in TfL’s 9,000 strong core bus fleet meet or exceed the cleanest Euro VI emission standards, effectively making the whole of London a Low Emission Bus Zone. Since 2017, TfL has worked to phase out polluting diesel buses and to retrofit older buses with cleaner engines. Now completed, this will see harmful NOx emissions from buses fall by an average of 90%.

MPS/MOPAC Commissioning (4)

Steve O'Connell: What has been the total amount/percentage of commissioning funding carried forward to future years within MOPAC/MPS for the last 3 years?

The Mayor: It is not possible to identify the MPS amount/percentage of commissioning funding carried forward to future years.
For MOPAC the amount of carry forward to reserves is set out in the table below.
Financial Year
2017/18
2018/19
2019/20*
Carry Forward transfers to Reserves
£13.7m
£12.0m
£9.9m
Percentage of Gross Budget
0.4%
0.4%
0.25%
*2019/20 is based on GLA position

Female Reoffending (2)

Susan Hall: Subsequent to your 2017 press release entitled "Mayor's £500,000 boost to services to tackle female reoffending", what evidence is there that the £500,000 Mayoral funding to tackle female reoffending in the capital has reduced the numbers of women reoffending since 2017? Please provide data.

The Mayor: The Mayor’s ongoing commitment to addressing female offending and enhancing services led to further funding under the London Crime Reduction Fund. Manchester Metropolitan University and MOPAC’s evidence and insight team are currently undertaking an evaluation of the female offender service programme, the findings of which will be available in June 2022.

Freight Consolidation

Tony Devenish: Please update the Assembly on what progress has been made on freight consolidation work.

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) and the Greater London Authority (GLA) continue to support freight consolidation as per Question 2020/2891. The forthcoming London Plan supports consolidation as a means of reducing freight kilometres.
TfL is looking at using vacant land resulting from the pandemic and potentially changing land use so it can be used for freight management and logistics opportunities as part of the green recovery.
The GLA Collaboration Programme is working to reduce deliveries from functional bodies’ suppliers, including consolidation of contracts and shipments.
TfL continues to work with London’s Business Groups to implement schemes that achieve a reduction in delivery and servicing trips through measures such as consolidation. A network provides those Groups involved opportunities to share best practice and lessons learned to enable initiatives to be replicated across London.
As part of the Mayor’s Civic Innovation Fund and partnering with retailers, parcel carriers, and global innovators, TfL’s “FreightLab” trials also aim todevelop innovative ways to move goods efficiently.

Brexit and Policing – Letter rogatories

Unmesh Desai: How many letter rogatories have been sent to EU member states police forces by the Met since the beginning of January? How many have been accepted and how long do you expect these requests to take on average, moving forwards?

The Mayor: Requests for European Investigation Orders and Letter rogatories are made by investigating officers and passed to the CPS who formally draft the documents. They are then sent to the prosecuting authorities in the relevant countries. The results are, in turn, relayed back to the CPS. As such, the MPS do not hold a central record of these outgoing requests.
This information is held by the CPS.

Fuel Poverty Support Fund Update

Leonie Cooper: Can you provide an update on the operation of your £500,000 Fuel Poverty Support Fund?

The Mayor: My Fuel Poverty Support Fund is now known as the Warm Homes Advice Service. I have funded this since February 2018 and up until December 2020 have supported 7,541 London households in or at risk of fuel poverty, including delivering home energy advice visits to 5,939 homes and supporting over 1,800 applications for the Mayor’s Warmer Homes grant. By April 2021 it will have helped almost 8,100 households.
Given the likely impact of the pandemic and economic downturn on fuel poverty, I have recently allocated an additional £100,000 of funding for this through MD2748. My funding has leveraged additional funding by the boroughs delivering the Advice Service.

Review of Past Taxi Exclusions

Keith Prince: Will the Mayor review past taxi exclusions from bus lanes to ensure correct and lawful decisions were taken?

The Mayor: Taxisare able tousethe vast majority ofbus lanes on the Transport for London Road Network, in line with the Bus Lanepolicy.Exclusion is only consideredbecause ofsafety concerns or significant operational issues for buses. Transport for London (TfL) hassuccessfully workedwith taxitrade bodiesoverthe yearsonimproved buslanesaccess,which has further increased the proportion where taxi access is already allowed.
TfL is confident that past decisions have been made inaccordancewiththepolicy. The recent Judicial Reviewjudgmentdid notconsiderthe2007 Bus Lane policyunlawfulorquestionthecriteriaforallowingtaxi accessas set out in the policy.
TfL willkeep the issueoftaxi accessinbus lanes underreviewincludingafterthefinal outcomeof the appealagainst theJudicial Reviewjudgement.

Fuel Poverty Strategy for England

Leonie Cooper: What were you key asks in your response to the Fuel Poverty Strategy for England consultation? Is this response available on the GLA website?

The Mayor: Tackling Fuel Poverty is integral to my London Environment Strategy and is supported
by an additional Fuel Poverty Action Plan. I can only address fuel poverty in London if the Government has an ambitious strategy and allocates the resources to match.
My key asks were: for Government to increase funding; to devolve funding to London to ensure a fair share of Energy Company Obligation spending; to tighten the threshold for fuel poverty; a stronger link with health; and a better use of energy efficiency standards.
The Government has not yet supported my call to have funds such as the Energy Company Obligation devolved to London and without that we will continue to lose out on tens of millions of pounds a year. They have also not supported a minimum Energy Efficiency Rating of B, retaining C. They have however made commitments to incorporate cold homes assessments into healthcare and to higher energy efficiency standards in the private rented sector, albeit without adequate resource for local authorities to enforce.
A copy of my response is available on the GLA website at this link:
https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/consultation_on_fuel_poverty_strategy_mol_response_190916.pdf

Mogous Abay

Andrew Dismore: Several members of the Police and Crime Committee received communications from campaigners on behalf of Mogous Abay, who died on June 30th 1990. The pathologist's report stated that his death was caused by multiple injuries consistent with a fall from a great height. However, the campaigners are concerned about the police investigation into his death, and are seeking for an investigation into the handling of the case.
Who is the relevant authority to investigate this and have any investigations taken place?

The Mayor: To date, no formal request to re-open the investigation has been received. As such, it has not been possible to assess any concerns campaigners may have. I can confirm no investigations have taken place.

Suspects identified using Prum database

Unmesh Desai: How many suspects for each of the following types of crimes have the Met identified using the Prum database in each of the last 4 years: Homicide, Rape, Burglary, Assault?

The Mayor: The below figures relate to PRUM activity between 8 July 2019 (when PRUM began in the UK by connecting with our first European partner) and 6 January 2021 (latest published figures) within the categories of homicide, rape, burglary and assault.
Locale
Measure
Homicide
Rape
Burglary
Assault (including robbery and aggravated robbery)
MPS
Matches with suspect identity available
20
29
278
128
Suspect’s identities requested
13
11
71
58
Suspect’s identities received
12
9
55
52

COVID-19 in the rough sleeping population

Murad Qureshi: During the London Assembly Housing Committee’s investigation for the report Five Steps to Build on ‘Everyone In’ in London, we heard that during the first wave of the pandemic, levels of COVID-19 infection were lower in the rough sleeping population, thanks to the ‘Everyone In’ scheme. Is this still the case?

The Mayor: Through the early and decisive action taken by the GLA, boroughs, the NHS and voluntary sector partners, rates of COVID-19 infection among London’s rough sleepers have been far below those seen in other world cities. According to one study, the infection rate amongst rough sleepers in London was just 3-4%, compared with 66% in San Francisco. It is estimated that the first ‘Everyone In’ initiative could have avoided 7,000 infections, 90 deaths and 390 hospital and 115 ICU admissions in the capital.
The action we continue to take to protect this vulnerable group remains critical to reducing infection rates. Since December 2020, we have seen a significant increase in infections across the whole population and that has also been reflected in the rough sleeping population and those housed in emergency accommodation. We have continued working to ensure people sleeping rough do not face greater risks from COVID-19, including striving to offer accommodation to all those with clinical vulnerabilities, and many others too, and providing a COVID-isolation facility for people who cannot self-isolate elsewhere.

Covid Fines (1)

Leonie Cooper: How many fines have issued by police in Wandsworthfor breaking lockdown regulations and have any £10k fines been given out?

The Mayor: The relevant data is recorded at a BCU level in line with the area in which the officer issuing the fine is based.
Wandsworth forms part of the South West BCU along with Merton, Kingston and Richmond.
For South West BCU as a whole, between 27 Match 2020 and 14 February 2021 a total of 541 fines have been issued by police for breaking covid regulations. To 2 February 2021, four £10k fine have been issued for "Contravene requirement not to hold, or be involved in holding, a gathering of more than thirty people - dwelling/houseboat" in South West BCU.

ULEZ Information Campaign

Joanne McCartney: What further plans do you/TfL have to alert Londoners, who are not yet aware, of the coming introduction of the ULEZ?

The Mayor: The public information campaign to raise awareness of the forthcoming expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) launched 5 October 2020 and will continue up to and beyond the implementation of the extension.
An extensive advertising campaign will continue to appear on radio stations, posters, local, London wide and specialist press titles, digital display, Google search ads, and there will be leafleting distributed to residents living within a 1.1km radius outside the boundary and 1.875km radius inside the boundary of the expanded zone. Further emails will be sent to customers on the Transport for London (TfL) database. All of this is supported by with detailed information on the TfL website.
In addition, TfL has mounted a major stakeholder engagement and public relations campaign. It has publicised the expansion of the ULEZ through the boroughs, holding more than 50 meetings with a wide range of community groups (faith groups, voluntary bodies residents’ associations, disabled access organisations, BAME groups.) TfL has engaged with MPs, councillors and Assembly Members. It has discussed the ULEZ in regular meetings with stakeholders both within and outside of London, including the Federation of Small Business, London First, the London Chamber of Commerce. In the months ahead TfL will also engage with schools and parents groups, the NHS and patient groups, and BIDs.

Improvements to Air Pollution and Londoners’ health (2)

Leonie Cooper: Has assessment been made of mortality levels in London due to air pollution? Has any decline been recorded since 2016?

The Mayor: I recently published a report which found my air quality policies and wider improvements in air pollution will increase the average life expectancy of a child born in London in 2013 by six months. However, despite these significant improvements, levels of air pollution in London are still too high for many Londoners and in 2019 toxic air contributed to the deaths of more than 4,000 Londoners.
This report did not include a comparison between 2016 and 2019. However, modelling by Imperial College London shows that my bold policies to tackle air pollution have contributed to significant reductions in air pollution across London over this period. Between 2016 – 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic, there was a Londonwide reduction in annual average nitrogen dioxide of 20 per cent and reduction in annual average particulate matter of 15 per cent. This will translate into direct health benefits for Londoners, including reducing the number of premature deaths associated with air pollution.
Read the Health burden of air pollution in London report here: https://www.london.gov.uk/WHAT-WE-DO/environment/environment-publications/health-burden-air-pollution-london
Read the Air Quality in London 2016 - 2020 report here: https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/air_quality_in_london_2016-2020_october2020final.pdf

Funding to boost London economy

Susan Hall: Further to your press release on 15/02/18 announcing your £140m investment to boost the London economy, as a result of London’s newly won ability to keep a greater share of business rates, please advise as to how this funding has since helped projects in the capital to:

• increase business space;
• improve transport infrastructure;
• bring new housing on stream.

The Mayor: London’s retention of growth in business rates income has enabled significant strategic investment that is contributing to sustainable growth across the capital.
Examples of where this funding has been deployed include support for transport infrastructure such as the £25m contribution to the upgrading of the Northern Line ticket hall at Elephant & Castle, support for affordable housing development in the form of the Homebuilding Capacity Fund and £11m of funding for full fibre connections to improve digital connectivity for businesses and communities using public assets in the most poorly connected parts of London.
This funding has also supported investment in East Bank, which will form a significant part of London’s recovery from the impacts of Covid-19, given its impact on the creative industries and tourism sectors.

Restorative Justice for Londoners (2)

Susan Hall: Further to the launch of Restore: London, how many Londoners affected by crime, have taken advantage of the opportunity to meet their offender at every stage of the criminal justice system?

The Mayor: Between the launch of the pan-London restorative justice (RJ) service and November 2020, thirteen RJ conferences, or face-to-face meetings between victim and offender, took place.
RJ conferences are only one of the options available to the victim in an RJ process. The other options include in-depth restorative conversations, where the victim talks to the RJ facilitator about the impact of the crime, and this can happen at any stage in the criminal proceedings. The victim can also, if they wish, participate in shuttled communications between them and the offender, facilitated remotely by an RJ practitioner. A face-to-face conference, or any direct contact with the offender, may not be the best option for a victim, or indeed what the victim wants.
Other than restorative conversations, all other RJ options take place post-trial or when an offender has offered a guilty plea and accepted responsibility for the offence.

Restorative Justice for Londoners (5)

Susan Hall: What evidence is there that Restore: London has encouraged offenders to meet their victims and to reduce reoffending?

The Mayor: The Restore:London service ended in 2019 and restorative justice (RJ) services are now provided as part of the integrated London Victim and Witness Service (LVWS).
The pan-London RJ service is a victim-led service. Measuring the re-offending rates of participants is not in the remit of the service provider and MOPAC does not hold that data. There is, however, much evidence in the public domain on the impact of restorative justice on reoffending rates and the benefits to victims.
https://restorativejustice.org.uk/resources/evidence-supporting-use-restorative-justice

Restorative Justice for Londoners (4)

Susan Hall: Has Restore: London encouraged more victims or witnesses to attend trials, thereby improving their effectiveness?

The Mayor: The Restore:London service ended in 2019 and restorative justice (RJ) services are now provided as part of the integrated London Victim and Witness Service (LVWS).
The pan-London RJ service is victim-led. It plays an important part in helping victims cope and recover from what has happened to them and can help offenders understand the impact of their actions. However, encouraging victims or witnesses to attend criminal trials, or influencing the effectiveness of trials, is not an element of RJ practice. It was not part of the remit of the Restore:London service and is not a requirement of the RJ element of the LVWS.

Restorative Justice for Londoners (6)

Susan Hall: What evidence is there that under the Restore: London initiative, having met their victim, an offender has been able to understand and come to terms with the impact of their crime and been able to make amends?

The Mayor: The Restore:London service ended in 2019 and restorative justice (RJ) services are now provided as part of the integrated London Victim and Witness Service (LVWS).
The pan-London RJ service is a victim-led service. Measuring the participating offenders’ understanding of the impact of their crime, and their ability to make amends is not part of the remit of the pan-London RJ service.
There is however, much evidence in the public domain on the impact of restorative justice on reoffending rates and the benefits to victims.
https://restorativejustice.org.uk/resources/evidence-supporting-use-restorative-justice

TfL developments size mix

Tony Arbour: Further to your response to question 2020/2653, for each of the developments at Arnos Grove, Canons Park, Cockfosters, Colindale, Finchley Central, Harrow-on-the-Hill, High Barnet, Hounslow West, Northwood Town, Rayners Lane, Stanmore, Sudbury Town and Wembley Park, please give the number of homes by 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 bedroomed homes, broken down by affordable and other, that will be or have been submitted in the planning applications.

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) continues to progress its property development programme. TfL has started on sites delivering around 1,500 homes and has received planning permission for almost 5,500 homes and has submitted planning applications for a further 2,000.
TfL’s programme is providing much-needed homes for Londoners, from first time buyers to families and downsizers. Each of TfL’s planning applications reflects the needs of the local area and the local council’s planning guidelines.
Full and final tenure breakdowns for all the sites will be confirmed once planning permission is received. Planning permission has been secured for Wembley Park and applications have been submitted for Arnos Grove, Colindale, Rayners Lane, Canons Park, Stanmore and Sudbury Town and the numbers are set out in the accompanying table
The mix for the remaining sites is yet to be confirmed.

The Mayor: Attachments
0227 - TfL development size mix attachment.xlsx

Out There Response & Rescue (1)

Susan Hall: How has your £3,036,916 of funding over 3 years since 2016 helped the project Out There Response & Rescue to develop a pan-London service across the 32 London boroughs delivering support services for vulnerable young Londoners, exploited by criminal gangs, to sell drugs in other towns & cities, known as “county lines”? Please provide details.

The Mayor: In 2018 MOPAC funding supported the launch of the first pan-London County Lines response service, to support vulnerable young Londoners caught up in ‘county lines’ drug distribution networks by:
As of February 2021, the service has received1,452referrals; accepted595for support and has seen398young people engage with the support offered.

Out There Response & Rescue (2)

Susan Hall: How has your £3,036,916 of funding in 2016 to the project Out There Response & Rescue helped, in relation to “county lines”, to mitigate the violence, gangs, criminal & sexual exploitation, modern slavery & missing persons associated with this? Please provide evidence.

The Mayor: Please see answer to Mayor’s Question 2021/0650

Cleaner Heat Cashback Scheme (1)

Susan Hall: What evidence is there that your £10m boiler scrappage scheme, launched on 30/07/18, has helped small businesses to save money on their energy bills, as well as helping to improve the capital’s air quality? Please provide examples.

The Mayor: Nineteen small businesses were issued vouchers to replace their old heating system under the Cleaner Heat Cashback Scheme before its closure on 31 March 2020. Of those 17 have now installed new heating systems and the remaining two are due to completed before end March. The scheme (including energy bill and air quality impacts for the small businesses that took part) is currently being evaluated and will be completed by the summer.
My officers identified a low level of business interest early in the programme’s operation and acted to address this. Engagement showed that businesses were not taking up the programme due to lack of drivers to action such as regulation that existed for vehicle scrappage schemes. Businesses were also hesitant to prioritise energy efficiency measures in a challenging and uncertain economic climate as a result of Brexit and despite the energy savings it would bring.
Due to slow take-up, officers acted quickly to ensure delivery of similar outcomes through different programmes and reallocated funds accordingly. Of the original £10 million budget, £8.95 million has been reallocated for air quality projects to help businesses and other organisations reduce emissions, through the successful Good Growth Fund and the Business Low Emission Neighbourhoods (BLENs) initiatives. So far 6 BLENs have been completed, providing electric vehicle infrastructure, improved public realm and support for businesses, and 20 further BLEN and Good Growth Fund air quality initiatives are in delivery.

Cleaner Heat Cashback Scheme (2)

Susan Hall: How many small and medium-sized businesses in London have benefited from 30-40% cashback when replacing older, polluting boilers with new, cleaner heating systems, since the launch of your £10m boiler scrappage scheme in 2018?

The Mayor: This question is answered in the response to MQ2020/0652.

Cleaner Heat Cashback Scheme (3)

Susan Hall: Is there evidence that, since the launch of your Cleaner Heat Cashback Scheme in 2018, London’s workplaces have been able to significantly reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, thereby reducing their harmful NOx emissions? Please provide data.

The Mayor: This question is answered in the response to MQ 2020/0652.

Cleaner Heat Cashback Scheme (4)

Susan Hall: How much of an effect, since 2018, has your Cleaner Heat Cashback Scheme had on your ambition to make London a zero-carbon city by 2050? Please provide data.

The Mayor: This question is answered in the response to MQ2020/0652.

New Bus Route 456 Review (1)

Joanne McCartney: TfL have agreed to review the operation of the new 456 bus after it has been operational for 12 months. Residents have asked me if you will set out what review criteria will be used; for example, will it include traffic congestion, air and noise pollution, parking limitations, number of larger vehicles using the roads? Residents in Farm Road and Firs Lane are particularly concerned.

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) will work with LB Enfield, as it has been doing throughout, to review the impact of new bus route 456 on the Firs Lane and Farm Road area following 12 months of operation. The review will include levels of patronage and bus journey times, the latter of which will include the effect of traffic congestion. The buses used on route 456 will meet the ultra-clean Euro VI emission standards, which is the same standard as the Ultra Low Emission Zone.
TfL has also been working with LB Enfield to help ensure that the most suitable routeing is provided through the area.

Counter Terrorism Police on London Buses

Navin Shah: How confident you are that the new transport patrols carried out by a new ‘Project Servator’ team will prevent an attack in London given a warning that investigations are at a record high? What part can Londoners play in this for their own safety?

The Mayor: The Met’s Roads and Transport Policing Command has launched its own dedicated Project Servator team to patrol on London’s buses, transport hubs and roads.
The team will work alongside existing Project Servator teams from Specialist Operations within the Met, as well as colleagues from City of London Police and British Transport Police. Project Servator officers are specially trained to spot behaviours that indicate someone may be involved in crime, including terrorism.
The most effective part Londoners can play is to remain vigilant to threats and to report anything suspicious or concerning. They can do so using the anti-terror hotline number 0800 789 321 or via the Action Counters Terrorism website or app. In an emergency or urgent situation, members of the public should always call 999 and follow the Run Hide Tell advice. Where people are concerned that someone they know may be at risk of radicalisation, they can get support and advice at the www.actearly.uk website. And suspicious or concerning content found online can be reported at www.gov.uk/report-terrorism

Online Radicalisation

Navin Shah: Met Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu has recently said that online radicalisation has got worse during the pandemic and police are really concerned about that. Will the new website together with a new national Police Prevent Advice Line do the job to tackle this issue? What steps are being taken to monitor the progress?

The Mayor: The risk of online radicalisation has been exacerbated during the pandemic with more people online, for longer and often in isolated environments. It has, however, been a growing concern for some time. Indeed, my Countering Violent Extremism Programme noted in its final report that there needed to be a new phoneline and online portal for raising safeguarding concerns to the police including a new website which reaches out to community, friends and family cohorts.
Counter Terrorism Policing launched the new Prevent advice line and ACT Early campaign in Nov 2020 and this has already seen over 100 calls for advice resulting in twelve referrals. Progress is being closely monitored by the national Prevent Programme.
I have also funded the pilot of a new anonymous public referral app for online terrorist content through my Civic Innovation Challenge. The iREPORTit app launches in Feb 2021.

Impact of Brexit Deal (3)

Navin Shah: Do you agree that the UK no longer being a member of Europol is a huge loss to the Met Police?

The Mayor: Under the new agreement, the UK have now become a ‘third party’ partner with Europol. This is a loss to the Met and the new arrangement is not a like for like replacement. Such states are not able to initiate operations such as Joint Investigation Teams (JIT) and must rely upon a partnership with another EU Member State to undertake any activity.

Skills Training for Londoners Capital Fund (5)

Susan Hall: How effective has the £7.2m you invested in the Mayor’s Construction Academy been? Please provide data evidencing how many people have obtained employment in the construction industry as a direct result of the funding.

The Mayor: The £7.2m Mayor’s Construction Academy funding was awarded in 2019 and two of the six successful projects were able to progress into grant and deliver planned capital works ahead of COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020. The two projects have claimed £1.545m against milestones achieved out of a total grant of £1,626m. To the end of March 2020 this investment has resulted in over 1,600 additional learners supported to achieve a qualification (which in some cases supports learners already in work), 70 learners to start apprenticeships and a further 41 learners to progress into employment in the construction industry.
Whilst delivery timelines of the remaining projects have been considerably affected by events of the past year, planned delivery is progressing well, albeit later than originally planned. In the coming years Londoners will be able to gain the skills they need to access further opportunities for employment in the construction industry.

TfL Internal Audit’s decision to discontinue IA 16767 - Trams Management of Operational Risk Audit

Keith Prince: In your response to Question 2020/4094 you stated "All decisions whether to undertake or to discontinue an audit were taken by Transport for London Internal Audit.”

On what date did TfL Internal Audit decide to discontinue IA 16767 and who authorised this decision?

Please provide me with copies of all communications (including handwritten notes) associated with TfL Internal Audit's decision to discontinue IA 16767, including (but not limited to) any exchanges with First Group, TfL's General Counsel, the Transport Commissioner and Audit and Assurance.

The Mayor: The decision to put IA 16767 on hold whilst the Office of Road and Rail, British Transport Police and Rail Accident Investigation Branch concluded their investigations was taken by Transport for London (TfL) Internal Audit. It was discussed with TfL Legal on 28 November 2016. A note of the decision was recorded in the Audit database. First Group was advised of the decision by email dated on 20 December 2016.

The Mayor: Attachments
4625 TfL Audit Management of Operations Health & Safety Risk in TOLRedacted.pdf

Safer Neighbourhood Teams in Basic Command Units

Siân Berry: Could you tell me: a) the number of police officers and staff in each Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) in each London borough in 2016, and b) the number of police officers and staff now in 2021 (or the most recent data available) in each SNT within each Basic Command Unit (BCU)? Please provide this information in an accessible table format.

The Mayor: In 2016 the vast majority of London’s 632 wards had only one dedicated police constable and one Police Community Support Officer (PSCO).
Through my commitment to restore real neighbourhood policing this has since been uplifted so that wards have at least two Dedicated Ward Officers (DWOs) and one PCSO.
The exact number of officers in each Basic Command Unit (BCU) can be viewed in the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) monthly workforce report which is published online (www.met.police.uk/sd/stats-and-data/met/workforce-data-report/). As of December 2020 there are 1,510 DWOs and 626 PCSOs.

Rephasing of traffic lights on the A316

Caroline Pidgeon: I have received reports that insufficient traffic is allowed to enter the A316 from Hospital Bridge Road, creating significant issues from Percy Road and Powdermill Lane. When was an examination of this issue last undertaken and will TfL consider a new review of the traffic light phasing to help reduce the backing up of traffic from Hospital Bridge Road?

The Mayor: The last full review of signal timings at this junction was in 2016. There are currently major gas main works on the A316 Great Chertsey Road in the vicinity of Hospital Bridge Roundabout, which are due to finish in early May. These works and the associated traffic management has resulted in a significant reduction in capacity on all approaches to the roundabout, which is also affecting Percy Road and Powdermill Road. Transport for London (TfL) has changed traffic light timings with the aim to reduce delays as far as possible and the area is monitored 24/7 by TfL’s Network Management Control Centre. However, TfL is unable to fully mitigate the impacts of these works at this junction.
Once the works have been completed and the traffic management removed from street, the traffic signal timings at this location will be reviewed to ensure they are still appropriate.

Step free access plans at Burnt Oak, Northolt and Hanger Lane

Caroline Pidgeon: Burnt Oak, Northolt and Hanger Lane underground stations were scheduled to have step free access delivered last year, but work is currently “paused.” Please provide an update on the current timetable for step free work commencing at these three stations.

The Mayor: Please see my response to your previous question 2020/4266.
Unfortunately, Transport for London (TfL) is still not able to provide a specific timetable due to its ongoing uncertain funding situation. Work at these stations is still paused pending further discussions with the Government on the funding support TfL needs following the impact of coronavirus on its finances.

Healthy Streets schemes

Caroline Pidgeon: In answer to Question 2021/0084 you stated that: “A number of other Healthy Streets schemes were similarly paused in 2020, while TfL focused on the rapid delivery of my London Streetspace programme to provide safe alternatives to private car use during the pandemic. TfL is currently remobilising the majority of these Healthy Streets projects”. Please list in full the projects that TfL is now remobilising.

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has remobilised Healthy Streets schemes. A list of these can be found in the attached.
In addition, TfL has been able to reinstate funding to boroughs for Healthy Streets projects that they are developing under the LIP Corridors, LIP Major schemes, Bus Priority, Liveable Neighbourhoods and Cycle Parking programmes.

The Mayor: Attachments
0425 attachment.xlsx

ULEZ Heavy Vehicles Scrappage Scheme

Leonie Cooper: How many older more polluting heavy vehicles have been scrapped using the Heavy Vehicle Scrappage scheme? Please provide a breakdown by age and type of vehicle.

The Mayor: From 28 September 2020, small businesses with up to 50 employees and charities were able to apply for funds to help replace or retrofit older, more polluting HGVs, heavy vans, buses and coaches that don't meet the ULEZ standards. Due to unprecedented demand, the scheme closed to new applicants on 14 October 2020 and is currently paused.
As at 10 November 2020, Transport for London (TfL) had accepted 117 applications from operators who wish to scrap and replace their vehicles. This figure includes 99 HGVs and 18 buses and coaches. A further 13 applications have been accepted from operators who wish to retrofit their vehicles - 2 HGVs and 11 buses and coaches.
Applications accepted means that TfL has approved the application and is awaiting evidence from the customer that the vehicle has been scrapped. A payment is made on receipt of this evidence.
To date, TfL has received evidence that 14 of the above vehicles (12 HGVs and 2 buses and coaches) have been scrapped, and 2 buses and coaches have been retrofitted.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to provide a breakdown by age of vehicle.

PM2.5 and the Environment Bill (3)

Leonie Cooper: The last twelve months have been incredibly challenging for the wellbeing and health of Londoners. How important is it for our health that the Government put into law the WHO targets on PM2.5?

The Mayor: Poor air quality remains the biggest environmental risk to health and PM2.5 is thought to be the pollutant with the greatest impact. There is also emerging evidence linking exposure to air pollution with an increased vulnerability to the most severe effects of Covid-19. The Government’s recent decision to delay the Environment Bill yet again shows failure to act on the climate and nature emergencies and toxic air pollution with the urgency that is needed.
I have taken bold action to tackle air pollution in London, resulting in a 15% reduction in PM2.5 since 2016. However, 99% of Londoners still live in areas exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines and a recent study by researchers from Imperial College London’s Environmental Research Group found that in 2019 toxic air contributed to the deaths of more than 4,000 Londoners. Whilst my policies have helped reduce PM2.5 from road transport, I have more limited powers to tackle non-transport sources of this pollutant, which account for around 70% of local emissions. These include construction machinery, wood-burning, river vessels and commercial cooking. Additionally, nearly half of the PM2.5 measured in London comes from sources outside the city, meaning a national approach is needed to tackle this pollutant.
The draft Environment Bill mandates the setting of two air quality targets, including one for PM2.5. However, the Bill only requires these targets to be set by October 2022 and the targets themselves may not need to be achieved for 15 years or more. For the health of Londoners Government must use the Environment Bill to make the WHO PM2.5 guidelines legally-binding and provide the new powers over non-transport sources needed to clean up our polluted cities by 2030.

Green Homes Grants and London (1)

Leonie Cooper: How much of the £0.5 billion GHGLAD (Green Homes Grant: Local authority delivery scheme) funding was provided to London?

The Mayor: London secured £11.54 million of funding through Phase 1a of the Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery Scheme, consisting of £2.566 million of GLA-led warmer homes bids and other London Borough bids. This is 15% of the £76m allocated so far. London’s proportion of English households is 15 per cent therefore it is my objective to secure at least that share.
We have bid to other parts of the Green Homes Grant and have supported public sector bids to the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme and I am hopeful that more funding will be allocated to decarbonising London.

PM2.5 and the Environment Bill (1)

Leonie Cooper: Your work has brought significant improvements to the air quality in London over the last four years. What impact will the Government’s delay in bringing the Environment Bill to parliament and in failing to include WHO targets for PM2.5 have upon London’s ability to make further improvements?

The Mayor: Please see my response to 2021/0818.
I have adopted a target of meeting the WHO PM2.5 guidelines by 2030 in my Environment Strategy and will continue to work toward this, including by introducing tougher standards for heavy vehicles operating in the London-wide Low Emission Zone in March and expanding the Ultra Low Emission Zone up to the North and South Circular roads in October.
My policies have already helped improve London’s air quality. Since 2016 the scale of reduction in toxic NO2 has been five times greater in central London than the national average. But a national approach is needed to tackle PM2.5 emissions as nearly half of the PM2.5 measured in London comes from sources outside the city. In 2019 I published a report (https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/pm2.5_in_london_october19.pdf) outlining the additional actions and funding needed from Government for London make further improvements in reducing PM2.5 emissions.
Including legally binding WHO targets for PM2.5 in the Environment Bill is a necessary first step. To then achieve these targets, Government must give cities additional funding through a national £1.5 billion Clean Air Fund, as well as powers over non-transport sources of pollution like construction, the river, buildings and wood-burning. Crucially, London must be given access to its fair share of funding from national funding pots, including Vehicle Excise Duty, which we are currently excluded from.
If Government does not match my ambitions on WHO targets and continues to refuse to provide me with the powers I need to tackle all sources of pollution, the potential cost to the NHS and social care system in London is estimated to be £10.4 billion by 2050. Research from the Confederation of British Industry has also shown that improving air quality in London would provide an economic benefit of almost £500 million per year. The recent study by researchers from Imperial College London showing that toxic air contributed to the deaths of more than 4,000 Londoners in 2019 highlights the human cost of inaction.

Electric Vehicle Charging Points (1)

Leonie Cooper: How many publicly accessible electric vehicle charging points are there currently across London? Please provide a breakdown by borough separating the numbers of rapid and standard charging points.

The Mayor: With Transport for London (TfL) and London Councils, the Greater London Authority (GLA) is in the process of collating information from charge point providers that operate in London. Charge points are installed by numerous providers and work is ongoing to create a complete central database. To date, the GLA has created a charge point map that shows the location of current charge points across London where this information has been shared by providers. In some cases, information has not yet been made available as there is currently no requirement for them to share this data with the GLA. The map of known charge point locations is available here: https://maps.london.gov.uk/ev-chargepoints/.
Zap-Map is an alternative private source for current charge point information. Currently, the Zap-Map website states there are 10,018 charge points in Greater London but this number includes both private and public charge points. The Zap-Map website is: https://www.zap-map.com/live/.
TfL does not maintain or validate information on the total number of charge points in London. TfL has an on-going programme to install rapid charge point devices only.To date, TfL has installed 305 publicly accessible rapid charge points. Table 1 attached shows this number by borough.

The Mayor: Attachments
4393 Electric Vehicle Charging Points ATTACHMENT.xlsx

Income from Oyster and contactless payment

Caroline Pidgeon: What would be the estimated extra income that would have been generated by TfL for each year since the start of 2018 if every journey paid for by Oyster had instead been made by contactless payment?

The Mayor: Transport for London is not able to provide the cost of running Oyster and the contactless systems independently of each other as there are a lot of shared costs.The total cost of revenue collection in 2017/18 was 7.1 per cent. This includes all activities associated with revenue collection including for example staff time, customer support, cash collection, issuing and accepting printed tickets and revenue protection in addition to the costs of running the Oyster and contactless systems.

Dial-a-Ride booking system

Caroline Pidgeon: Further to your answer to Question 2020/4267 on intended improvements to the new booking and scheduling system for users of Dial-a-Ride, will the new booking system be able to recognise group bookings in real-time? I have received reports that at present the current Trapeze system has difficulties recognising group bookings, leading for example to two buses being sent to two Dial-a-Ride members living in the same household.

The Mayor: Dial-a-Ride is a door-to-door membership service open to individuals experiencing barriers to travel due to disability or age. It does not offer membership to groups as this is primarily provided already by many borough-based community transport operators in London.
Before the coronavirus pandemic, the multi-occupancy nature of the Dial-a-Ride buses centred on grouping together individuals, particularly where they were travelling to common locations. Since March last year, the service has operated on a single-occupancy basis (individual or single household) to facilitate social distancing between passengers and the driver.
As mentioned in my response to Mayor’s Question 2020/4267, one objective of procuring a new Assisted Transport booking and scheduling system is to enhance the efficiency and responsiveness of Dial-a-Ride scheduling, including an aspiration to introduce real-time scheduling capabilities afforded by the technological advancements that have taken place since the last procurement exercise.
The scheduling efficiency requirements for the new system do specifically cover the problem that you refer to in your question, which was sometimes experienced from the time the current booking system was introduced 15 years ago. The scheduling system did not always identify the most efficient solution for individuals traveling from the same address. The problem was addressed by Dial-a-Ride through a manual process at the time, which can be subject to human error occasionally. One new system requirement will be to replace such manual workarounds with more efficient automated processes to deliver an increasingly consistent excellent customer experience.

Solar energy for London

Susan Hall: Since the launch of your £34m Energy for Londoners Scheme in 2018, how far away are you now from achieving your goal for 1GW of London’s energy to be generated by solar by 2030?

The Mayor: My Solar Action Plan sets out five objectives that together will help us meet the 1GW by 2030 target. But it emphasises that meeting that target will require government to set a national policy framework that unlocks London’s solar energy potential. It will also need support from regulators and electricity network operators to ensure the accelerated roll out of solar projects, especially community-led schemes.
I have set a target for my own programmes to almost double London's current installed capacity, installing an additional 100 megawatts (MW) by 2030.
My Solar together programme supported solar PV installations for nearly 1000 homes; London Community Energy Fund projects identified 81 buildings encompassing solar on schools, community centres, GP surgeries, churches, sports centres and other buildings used by local communities. In addition, since 2016and up untilthe beginning of2020,planning applications referable to the Mayor have secured around21.7MW of London’s strategic solar PV panels.
My Green New Deal fund has also funded three projects to increase take up of solar PV in London and one of those is also supporting the development of new business models for deployment of solar in strategic industrial estates.
According to BEIS data, the installed capacity for solar PV in London by the end of 2019 was 128 MW.
Publicly available Regional Renewable Statistics data can be accessed via :
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/regional-renewable-statistics

Parks police

Tony Devenish: Have the MPS considered granting parks police the office of special constable to ensure they can make arrests and tackle crime outside of their jurisdiction?

The Mayor: It would not be suitable for Parks Police to hold the position of Special Constable.
Certain occupations are ineligible to be appointed as Special Constables due to legislation. Other occupations are also inappropriate because they perform public-facing uniformed roles.
Occupations including security, crime prevention and those dealing with minor offences & bylaws are all ineligible, (National Policing Improvement Agency Circular 01/2011 - Eligibility for Recruitment) as being a special constable would provide a person with more power than was intended for that role.

Office-space protection (4)

Susan Hall: Since your new office-space protection for new business launch in London in 2016, please provide details of your progress on seeking & implementing changes to permitted development rights, in collaboration with the Government.

The Mayor: I have been working with local planning authorities to support the protection of business space at risk from the Government’s extension of national permitted development rights.
I supported the boroughs in the Central Activities Zone by publishing strategic evidence to inform the introduction of Article 4 Directions to remove office to residential permitted development rights. This helped to safeguard central London’s nationally significant office locations.
In my London Plan I also encourage boroughs to introduce Article 4 Directions to safeguard strategic office capacity beyond central London and industrial and logistics capacity across the capital where appropriate.
I have also highlighted my strong concerns to the Government regarding their latest proposals for commercial to residential permitted development and continue to make the case that permitted development rights should be devolved to London government. This would ensure that appropriate flexibility can be provided – but in ways that deliver Good Growth for the capital and ensure higher quality development.

Bus Drivers and PPE

David Kurten: Can you assure me that all drivers on London buses are satisfactorily equipped with the necessary personal protective equipment to enable them to carry out their jobs safely?

The Mayor: Our transport workers are playing a vital role in keeping our city moving and enabling key workers to get where they need to go. Ensuring that they are able to carry their jobs out safely is a priority for me and Transport for London (TfL).
Personal protective equipment like face masks is available to all drivers, but as drivers' cabs are fully enclosed drivers are not required to wear them whilst driving. Current safeguards include cabs with separate air flow systems like air conditioning, use of anti-viral agents to regularly clean touch points in the cabs at driver changeovers, the availability of hundreds of thousands of face coverings, social distancing in garages and mess rooms, and a continued focus on cleaning of rest areas and depots. Bus operators have also been following the recommendations of University College London (UCL) following its research into the COVID-19 transmission risks for bus drivers. Protective film to cover communication holes has been added to the protective screens in drivers’ cabs, which UCL analysis found greatly reduces the risk to drivers of contracting coronavirus from passengers.

Creative Enterprise Zones (2)

Susan Hall: In which three London locations have your Creative Enterprise Zones been delivered? What was the criteria for choosing those locations?

The Mayor: In January 2018, 25 boroughs submitted expressions of interest to become Creative Enterprise Zones. Of these, 10 proposals were shortlisted and funded to develop a detailed action plan which was assessed against key criteria set out in the prospectus.
I designated London’s first six Creative Enterprise Zones in December 2018 in: Croydon (Town Centre), Haringey (South Tottenham), Hounslow (Great West Corridor), Lambeth (Brixton Town Centre), Lewisham (Deptford and New Cross) and Tower Hamlets / Hackney (Hackney Wick & Fish Island).

Creative Land Trust (1)

Susan Hall: Are the creative workspaces, derived from the Creative Land Trust, located in all London boroughs?

The Mayor: The Creative Land Trust is a new independent charity that will secure workspace across London. This is now more urgent following the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the creative industries. This is why the Creative Land Trust has delivered my Culture at Risk Business Support Fund of £1.6 million to 82 studios, across 18 London Borough, benefitting more than 11,500 artists and in doing so has built a strong network of workspace operators across the city.

Creative Land Trust (2)

Susan Hall: What is your progress in ensuring that more creative workspaces in London have secure freeholds?

The Mayor: Over the last decade, creative workspace in London has been in rapid decline. I established a new charitable model, the Creative Land Trust to help address this. It has already raised an additional £3.5 million investment to acquire buildings and secure freeholds. The first acquisition has been announced and will be in Hackney Wick, one of my first Creative Enterprise Zones, and will create permanent space for up to 200 artists.
My Creative Enterprise Zones also encourage boroughs to secure freeholds for affordable workspace like Second Floor Studios in Deptford.

Culture Infrastructure Plan

Susan Hall: How will new transport policies in the capital impact on culture/heritage places & spaces?

The Mayor: Cultural and heritage places and spaces have been closed since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is, therefore, not possible to assess the impact of the Streetspace programme on them at this point in time.
The programme provides investment in walking and cycling which will help everyone to access cultural institutions when they re-open, including those that are close to home. The incredible success of Santander cycles during recent travel restrictions and increasing use of new cycle lanes shows that people are making use of these new facilities. Enabling more people to access these places by foot or by cycle, especially if social distancing restrictions remain in place, will be crucial to a safe and successful re-opening of London’s cultural and heritage spaces this summer. We will continue to work with boroughs, institutions and organisations on this.

New cultural vision for the river

Susan Hall: How has the Covid-19 pandemic impacted your cultural vision for the Thames River? In view of the economic damage caused by the pandemic, is it anticipated that your cultural vision will be completely fulfilled on time?

The Mayor: The Thames River is a unique asset for Londoners. In September 2019 I published The Case for a River Thames Cultural Vision, calling on partners across the city to come together to create an ambitious, joined up cultural vision for the river.
During the pandemic, partners including the GLA, Port of London Authority, riparian boroughs and cultural organisations linked to the river have continued to meet, whilst focusing on supporting Londoners through the crisis. Since the report was published Culture and Creative Industries team have secured £8.35 million from Government for the Thames Estuary Production Corridor to support jobs and growth and work on the next phase of the world’s longest artwork, Illuminated River has continued.

Heritage plans & spaces at risk

Susan Hall: Has your work with Historic England & the Heritage Lottery Fund identified heritage places & spaces at risk in London? What has been done to recognise & protect them?

The Mayor: My Culture and Creative Industry Unit works closely with Historic England and the Heritage Lottery Fund to protect heritage across London including work with my Culture at Risk Office to secure at-risk heritage assets. For example, the Office worked with Historic England to secure the future of the Grade II listed Horse Hospital in Camden.
My team works with Historic England's Heritage at Risk programme to identify heritage at risk in London. My London Plan protects heritage assets and outlines that boroughs should set out strategies for heritage at risk, repair and re-use.

LGBT+ Venues Charter (2)

Susan Hall: Has there been support for the LGBT+ Venues Charter in London from developers, pubs & venues in all London boroughs? If not, which boroughs have not signed up?

The Mayor: LGBTQ+ venues are important community spaces for Londoners, providing safe and welcoming places to meet.
28 venues and three pub companies have signed up to my LGBTQ+ Venues Charter. A full list of signatories can be found at https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/arts-and-culture/lgbtq-nightlife-venues
London’s remaining 51 LGBTQ+ venues are located in a small number of boroughs, mainly in inner London. While the charter is not aimed at boroughs, I encourage all local authorities to work with developers and the community to support new venues opening in their area where there is demand. For example, my Night Czar and Culture Team are supporting Tower Hamlets, a developer and the community on reprovision of the Joiners Arms.

Hate Crime (1)

Peter Whittle: To ask the Mayor if Brexit and Covid-19 have caused a hate crime 'spike’ in the Metropolitan Police District?

The Mayor: While it is difficult to cite particular events as causing increased levels of recorded hate crime, it is the case that following the EU-referendum result in July 2016 the MPS recorded a significant peak in racist and religious hate crime. Since then, both City Hall and the Metropolitan Police have been engaging with communities most affected by the UK’s departure from the EU and by subsequent hate crimes to offer support and ensure easy access to advice and support services.
During the summer of 2020 the MPS recorded its highest ever monthly levels of racist hate crime – during the months June through August. June 2020 represented the highest recorded level of racist and religious hate crime over the last decade and was an increase of 50% on May 2020. Possible drivers for this spike during Summer 2020 include events following the murder of George Floyd and the Covid 19 pandemic. City Hall has proactively engaging with communities most affected by the events of last Summer to provide reassurance and support.

Child Houses (3)

Susan Hall: How have the new Child Houses helped to fill in the gaps in medical & emotional aftercare provided to young people & children? Please provide evidence.

The Mayor: The London Review of the Child Sexual Abuse Pathway (2015) found that only 1 in 4 Children and Young People (CYP) who report sexual abuse to the police in London receive emotional and health support. Those that do may have to wait months for the important therapy and support they need. Since The Lighthouse opened referrals for support have increased threefold and now 1 in 2 CYP who report sexual abuse to the police in North Central London receive emotional and health support in a timely way.
The Lighthouse therefore ensures that CYP are offered, under one roof, paediatric and sexual health support, play therapy, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAHMS), and the NSPCC’s ‘Letting the Future In’ and ‘Protect and Respect’ services. The support can last up to two years and includes support to non-offending parents and carers, so they in turn can better support the young person in their care.

Sustainable Transport and Covid-19

Leonie Cooper: With concerns about the H69/V70 strain of Covid-19 rising, what reassurance can you give to Londoners that sustainable forms of transport are safe as well as vital to a better recovery from the pandemic?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) is continuing to keep public transport safe, clean and reliable for those who need to travel, just as it has done throughout the pandemic. It continues to adhere to all guidance issued by the Government and Public Health England and will adapt its response accordingly should the advice change as a result of the emergence of new strains of the virus.
TfL has enhanced the cleaning regime across its entire network, and it now uses hospital-grade cleaning substances that kill viruses and bacteria on contact and provide ongoing disinfection. In September 2020, it introduced a new testing regime in association with Imperial College London that involves independent monthly sampling of both the air and surfaces on both the Tube and buses; the testing undertaken in each of the last four months – i.e. September to December 2020 – has found no trace of coronavirus.
I have taken a number of steps to support public transport and active travel throughout the pandemic. This includes rapidly delivering more safe space for walking and cycling in order to help people get around safely and sustainably and help prevent a damaging car-led recovery as London emerges from the pandemic. More than 90km of new or upgraded cycle routes have been delivered or are under construction in London since the pandemic began.

UN Women's Safer Cities & Safe Public Spaces Initiative

Susan Hall: Since your £44m investment in 2018 to make London a safer place for women & girls, has London now achieved accreditation to the UN Women’s Safer Cities & Safe Public Spaces initiative?

The Mayor: Yes. London achieved accreditation in 2018.

Functional Body Boards (1)

Susan Hall: Can you provide full membership lists of all GLA functional body boards?

The Mayor: Membership of the Boards of the London Legacy Development Corporation, Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation, and Transport for London are detailed below.
London Legacy Development Corporation Board
Peter Hendy (Chair)
Pam Alexander OBE
Sonita Alleyne OBE
Shanika Amarasekara MBE
Cllr Rachel Blake
Simon Blanchflower CBE
Cllr Clare Coghill
Nicky Dunn OBE
Keith Edelman
Rokhsana Fiaz OBE, Mayor of Newham
Philip Glanville, Mayor of Hackney
Baroness Grey-Thompson DBE
Sukhvinder Kaur-Stubbs
Jamie Kerr
Jules Pipe CBE
Geoff Thompson MBE
Old Oak & Park Royal Development Corporation Board
Liz Peace CBE (Chair)
Cllr Julian Bell
Cllr Muhammed Butt
Natalie Campbell
Cllr Stephen Cowan
Rahul Gokhale
William Hill
Jules Pipe CBE
Victoria Quinlan
Shevaughn Rieck
Michael Simms
Helen Ward
Transport for London Board
Sadiq Khan (Chair)
Heidi Alexander (Deputy Chair)
Cllr Julian Bell
Kay Carberry CBE
Greg Clark CBE
Bronwen Handyside
Ron Kalifa OBE
Dr Alice Maynard CBE
Anne McMeel
Dr Mee Ling Ng OBE
Dr Nelson Ogunshakin OBE
Mark Phillips
Dr Nina Skorupska CBE
Dr Lynn Sloman
Ben Story

Tube Noise engineering solutions

Andrew Dismore: What further work has TfL been doing to look at engineering and product solutions for tube noise?

The Mayor: The coronavirus pandemic has had a dramatic impact on Transport for London’s (TfL) finances as a result of the significant reduction in passenger numbers and associated revenue. TfL has therefore had to make very difficult decisions regarding the prioritisation of its investment, focusing on safety and operationally critical work.
Despite this, TfL continues to investigate new technology and techniques to reduce residential Tube noise and vibration, within these financial constraints.
As well as trialling on-train lubrication on the Jubilee line, TfL is also exploring an alternative rail fastening product called Delkor 167 on the Jubilee line, which it hopes will reduce in-carriage noise

West Central Air Quality

Tony Devenish: Please provide me with all of TfL’s air quality readings across the West Central constituency over the last 12 months.

The Mayor: Transport for London does not monitor air pollution directly in this area, but there are a number of real-time air quality monitoring sites installed across the London West Central constituency, which are part of the London Air Quality Network (LAQN), as follows:
The results for 2020 up to the 8th December are provided in the table attached, which is focussed on the following limit/target values for these pollutants:
Although these results are provisional, as the full data for later months will need to be fully ratified early next year, these show that all sites were below the limit / target values, except for the Strand (Northbound BID), Marylebone Road and Shepherd’s Bush sites, which are currently above the NO2 annual mean limit value of 40µg/m3.

The Mayor: Attachments
4784 West Central Air Quality table 1.xlsx

Police helicopters

Tony Devenish: For each month from October 2018 to September 2020, please can you provide the number of times a police helicopter was deployed over Westminster, the length of each deployment and the reasons for the deployments?

The Mayor: The following information has been provided by NPAS.
In Westminster (SW1, SW7, W1, WC1, WC2) between October 2018 to September 2020 inclusive, there were 711 deployments, individual length of deployments and the reasons are as attached.

The Mayor: Attachments
3772_Police Helicopters_EXCEL_Breakdown.xlsx

Crossrail (2)

Gareth Bacon: When will trial running for Crossrail finally be complete?

The Mayor: Crossrail Ltd is seeking to start intensive operational testing, known as Trial Running, by the second quarter of 2021. From the start of Trial Running, it takes a number of months to fully test the railway before Trial Operations can begin, providing no issues arise during this period. Trial Operations will then test real-time service scenarios on trains and stations with volunteers to ensure the readiness of the railway before it opens to the public.

PLACE update

Siân Berry: Is PLACE (Pan-London Accommodation Collaborative Enterprise), the scheme for London boroughs to use modular housing units to increase the supply of high-quality, temporary accommodation options for people needing a home, on target to start installation works for all initial sites on 19 February 2021?

The Mayor: Initial PLACE prototypes were successfully assembled in Tower Hamlets in October 2020 and remain in place. Due to the delivery challenges arising from Covid-19 PLACE Ltd. has confirmed that the target date of 19 February 2021 for installation works of modular units on all other meanwhile sites can no longer be achieved. Officers will continue to work with PLACE and Tower Hamlets to secure delivery of these units after this date.

Leasing of vacant social rent homes by housing associations

Siân Berry: Currently, housing associations lease social rent voids to councils at Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates instead of at social rents, which increases tenants’ rents and the cost to councils for housing the homeless. Will you look at introducing measures to stop housing associations leasing voids to councils ‘temporarily’ at LHA rents instead of at social rents?

The Mayor: Housing association stock that can no longer be let as long term tenancies can be a useful source of temporary accommodation for councils searching for affordable options to meet their statutory duties towards homeless households.
The government and Regulator of Social Housing set the framework for the rents that can be charged by registered providers of social housing and it would therefore not be within my power to introduce the measure you suggest. However, I encourage councils to work with housing associations to secure suitable accommodation that is affordable, while recognising the management demands of temporary accommodation and the need for a sustainable supply to accommodate London's disproportionate need.
In order to move people out of temporary accommodation for good – and to prevent households from needing to access it in the first place – my priority is to use my investment and planning powers to increase the supply of social rent homes. Over half of the funding available in my new Affordable Homes Programme will be for social rent homes.

Developers of buildings with unsafe cladding

Siân Berry: In your answer to my question 2020/4315, you told me that the majority of building owners your officers are in touch with were due to have begun remediation work by the end of 2020. Can you tell me if this is the case, and if not, how many buildings are outstanding?

The Mayor: My building safety team is only in contact with building owners applying the cladding remediation funds administered by the GLA. Your previous question referred to building owners with unsafe aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding across both the social and private sectors.
At the end of 2020, 27 buildings had not started ACM remediation out of a total of 129 buildings in London within the scope of either the Social Sector ACM Cladding Remediation Fund or the Private Sector ACM Cladding Remediation Fund (SSCRF / PSCRF). As of 25 February 2021, this had reduced to 24 out of 130 (since the end of 2020 the number of buildings under the PSCRF has increased by one).

Mayor’s Action plan for improving transparency, accountability and trust in policing (2)

Siân Berry: Your new Action Plan says: “MOPAC will scrutinise the MPS (Metropolitan Police Service) to ensure that Authorised Professional Practice (APP) is followed around searches based on multiple objective factors, and that officers ensure that where searches are based only on the smell of cannabis that their grounds and rationale are clear and fully documented. However it also says: “The IOPC [Independent Office for Police Conduct] follows the APP in recommending that the MPS ensures officers are not relying on the smell of cannabis alone when deciding to stop and search someone, and use grounds based on multiple objective factors.” Will the next Police and Crime Plan fall in line with the IOPC and ensure that MPS officers are not searching Londoners only on the smell of cannabis?

The Mayor: MOPAC fully supports the College of Policing Stop and Search Authorised Professional Practice (APP) that sets out that searches are more likely to be effective and legitimate when their grounds are based on multiple objective factors.
The MPS has accepted the IOPC’s recommendation that officers should not be relying on the smell of cannabis alone when deciding to stop and search someone, and use grounds based on multiple objective factors.

London Sustainable Drainage Action Plan

Caroline Russell: Your Sustainable Drainage Action Plan had a final action which was to produce an annual monitoring report. On your webpage summarising the action plan, published 13 December 2016, it was stated this was changed to a webpage because: “progress can be monitored closer to real-time and so anyone can see the SuDS retrofit activities currently underway and recently completed.” Will you commit to annual updates now that your guidance is fully issued and there is a need to track progress on the ground?

The Mayor: I have made good progress on the London Sustainable Drainage Action Plan and have recently updated the webpage accordingly. Examples of LSDAP actions delivered of late include: the production of guidance for schools, social housing, hospitals, commercial and retail buildings, parks and green spaces, which can all be found online at https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/environment/climate-change/surface-water/suds-sector-guidance; the training of over 300 highway officers on the benefits of sustainable drainage systems; and the development of road runoff water quality mapping and climate vulnerability mapping for all of London, to help identify areas where sustainable drainage will deliver the greatest benefit.
My officers are monitoring the sustainable drainage improvements delivered by new development through the new Planning London Datahub. Over the past two years our strong London Plan policy and officer input has seen an average 87% reduction in discharge rates compared to pre-development, reducing surface water flood risk to London’s communities. In order to monitor progress of sustainable drainage retrofit, my officers are currently developing a comprehensive map that shows where all sustainable drainage interventions have been delivered within the public realm. Once complete this live map will be made publicly available on the GLA website.

Signalling failures

Gareth Bacon: For each year of your mayoralty, please provide details of how many tube signal failures there have been on each TfL line.

The Mayor: Since May 2016, there has been a year on year reduction in signal failures on the Tube, and Transport for London (TfL) continues to work towards further reductions to ensure Londoners can get to their destinations as quickly as possible. The attached document provides a breakdown of signal failures by year since 2016.
Most signal failures were for short durations, and TfL worked to resolve the issues as quickly as possible to ensure Londoners could get to their destinations.
TfL is modernising the Tube with unprecedented levels of investment to drive further reliability improvements. The Four Lines Modernisation Programme is one of the most important upgrades in the history of the network, introducing new technology that will reduce journey times and allow TfL to run more trains. TfL has also increased service frequencies on the Jubilee, Northern and Victoria lines following significant investment on the lines, including the signalling systems. In May 2017, the Victoria line started operating a world-class service of 36 trains per hour during peak services.
More robust parts are being introduced at points and crossings, as part of a wider track improvement programme across the Northern, Jubilee and Piccadilly lines. TfL has also introduced monitoring equipment that detects deterioration of track, so that mitigation work can be carried out early before signal failures take place.
TfL is also committed to upgrading the whole Deep Tube network, starting with trains on the Piccadilly line, to deliver increased service frequencies and capacity with new trains and signalling to support London’s recovery. TfL will continue to make the case to Government for long term investment in London to allow this vital work to continue.

The Mayor: Attachments
0503 Signalling Failures Data Table.xlsx

Boundary charge (1)

Gareth Bacon: When will TfL’s feasibility study on the proposed boundary charge be published?

The Mayor: I have asked Transport for London (TfL) to undertake a feasibility study into a potential Greater London Boundary Charge for non-residents. As part of this, TfL will undertake an initial assessment of the impact of options on traffic, emissions, health, equality and the economy. The full findings of the study are expected later in the year.

Boundary charge (2)

Gareth Bacon: Aside from the future TfL feasibility study on the proposed boundary charge, what initial assessment have you made on who would be affected by these plans?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has undertaken an initial traffic assessment of a Greater London Boundary Charge for non-residents using a transport demand model and analysis. The impact on journeys was assessed for overall and cross-boundary trips and was estimated to reduce the total number of weekday car trips across the GLA boundary by 10-15 per cent.
I have asked TfL to undertake a feasibility study into a potential Greater London Boundary Charge for non-residents which will assess impacts of a potential charge in more detail. As part of this work, TfL will undertake an initial assessment of the impact of options on traffic, emissions, health, equality and the economy.

Boundary charge (3)

Gareth Bacon: When do you envisage the full public consultation for the boundary charge to take place, and how long is it due to last?

The Mayor: I have asked Transport for London to undertake a feasibility study into a potential Greater London Boundary Charge for non-residents. The full findings of the study are expected later in the year.
Once the feasibility study has been completed, further consideration will be given to its findings and I will take a decision on whether to proceed with further work. Any proposals would be subject to the usual statutory procedure including a full public consultation.

Crossrail (1)

Gareth Bacon: How many Network Rail Crossrail stations are still yet to be completed?

The Mayor: National Rail’s ‘On Network Works’ is delivering station enhancement works to surface stations on the eastern and western section of the Elizabeth line.
Major upgrade work is being undertaken at Romford and Ilford stations in the east. In the west enhancement and upgrade work is progressing at Acton Main Line, Ealing Broadway, West Ealing, Southall, Hayes & Harlington, West Drayton.
All of the ‘On Network Works’ are due to be completed throughout 2021.

Pre-trial running activity on Crossrail

Alison Moore: When is pre-trial running activity on Crossrail likely to be completed and how are you addressing signalling and train software issues that were identified before Christmas?

The Mayor: Delivery of the Elizabeth line is now in its complex final stages. The team continues to make good progress completing the remaining infrastructure works so that intensive operational testing, known as Trial Running, can begin at the earliest opportunity.
Since January, an upgraded version of the software has been used for System Integration Dynamic Testing. This is an advanced version of the software expected to be used in Trial Running. While there have not been any significant issues identified that cannot be incorporated into future software updates, it is only in Trial Running that the system will be tested with a full-service frequency running in the central section. Crossrail Ltd will continue to work collaboratively with its supply chain partners to address the required fixes to software through mitigating measures and future software upgrades.

Office-space protection (1)

Susan Hall: Since your press release dated 03/06/16, entitled “Mayor announces new office-space protection for new business”, could you please demonstrate how your subsequent amendments to the London Plan have since provided stronger protection for small businesses & start-up workspace in the capital?

The Mayor: In my new London Plan I have introduced stronger protections for small business and start-up workspace by supporting the introduction of Article 4 Directions to remove permitted development rights; retaining existing viable office floorspace with strengthened tests to demonstrate surplus office space; supporting the delivery of affordable workspace, protecting and intensifying industrial-related business space in Strategic Industrial Locations and Locally Significant Industrial Sites; protecting cultural uses and promoting the growth of London’s creative industries.
Evidence from the London Development Database shows that the rate of loss of office floorspace from all approved office to residential changes of use was approximately halved from 649,000 square metres per annum over the period 2013-2015 to 327,000 square metres per annum over the period 2016-2018. About two-thirds of these losses occurred through central government’s office to residential permitted development rights. Through my business-friendly London Plan policies, a net increase of over 1 million square metres of new office floorspace has been granted in planning approvals 2016-2018 providing space for businesses to start-up, grow and thrive.

Cash Payments on London Underground

Alison Moore: In May 2020, TfL stopped accepting cash payments temporarily at 200 of the 262 London Underground stations. What plans do you have to return to cash payments in these stations and will you publish the equality impact assessment that was developed alongside this decision?

The Mayor: While the coronavirus transmission rate is high and passenger numbers remain low, Transport for London (TfL) continues to maintain the temporary cashless arrangements that are already in place at ticket machines on London Underground and DLR stations, and at London Overground ticket offices. This is to protect staff and customers from handling cash, while also facilitating social distancing by reducing queuing and congregating at ticket machines and ticket offices. Overall these arrangements have worked well and, where issues have arisen, TfL has taken steps to address these. TfL will continue to monitor these arrangements and respond to any concerns raised.
The EqIA has been published on the TfL website here: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/equality-and-inclusion-publications

Office-space protection (3)

Susan Hall: Following on from the launch of your new office-space protection for new business in 2016, please outline which schemes have since provided linked affordable housing & business space in new London housing developments.

The Mayor: My new London Plan promotes schemes that provide linked affordable housing and affordable workspace in new housing developments (paragraph 6.3.7) and I have been delighted to see examples of such developments being implemented in London in line with this approach.
For example, the Lakeside Centre in Thamesmead includes 40 new affordable creative workspaces supported by linked provision of low-cost accommodation for cultural workers, helping the area become one of the capital’s newest cultural locations for emerging talented artists, designers, makers and food entrepreneurs. In Barking & Dagenham, Create London provides affordable, high quality residential units linked to affordable creative studios, with a dedicated public hall and new square.
Going forward, I want to see more exemplar projects like these to create a replicable model for sustainable creative business space paired with affordable housing provision.

Bus Hopper (2)

Alison Moore: What has been the cost of the Hopper fare for 2016/17, 2017/18, 2018/19, 2019/20 and the estimate for 2020/21?

The Mayor: As my answer to MQ 2021/0916 shows, the Hopper fare has grown in popularity since its launch as customers have benefitted from the added flexibility it brings to pay as you go, on top of low single bus and tram fares and daily and weekly capping.
However, it is not the case that every hopper journey represents a reduction in fares revenue. The majority of Hopper journeys are made on cards that go on to hit a daily or weekly cap, so pay the same over the day or week as they would in the absence of the Hopper. Furthermore, the Hopper means that customers need not wait for the specific bus that takes them all the way to their destination and can instead catch multiple buses for the same fare. This generates additional Hopper journeys and benefits users without loss of revenue. Lastly, the benefits of the Hopper fare are estimated to have generated additional paid-for bus journeys representing around 1 per cent of total bus demand.
In total, the net effect of the Hopper fare is estimated to be a reduction in bus revenue of up to £30m p.a. The growth in the annual number of Hopper journeys up to 2019/20 is not thought to have resulted in a significant increase in this cost as it is likely to be driven by a greater use of multiple buses instead of one and growth in the popularity of pay as you go more generally.
In 2020/21 the effect is likely to be a reduction of less than £15m due to the reduction in travel demand during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bus Hopper (1)

Alison Moore: Following MQ 2019/20121 can you provide final year figures for 2019/20 and figures for 2020/21 to date?

The Mayor: The Hopper fare allows unlimited free transfers between buses and/or trams within an hour. The table below shows the total number of bus and tram journeys and the number of Hopper journeys by financial year. The data for 2020/21 covers the period between 1April 2020 to 4February 2021 and includes a period in summer 2020 when customers were advised to board using the middle doors without validating their cards.

Affordable Housing and Viability Supplementary Planning Guidance (4)

Susan Hall: On the back of the launch of your Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) in 2018, please detail which London councils have since made use of your expert viability team, in instances of developers trying to reduce affordable housing levels, after planning permission has been granted. Please demonstrate how effective your expert viability team have been in ensuring developers have kept to their original agreed affordable housing levels.

The Mayor: Between 2013 and 2016, legislation brought forward by the government gave developers an automatic right to apply for a reduction in the affordable housing that they had previously agreed to provide in planning permissions and to appeal to the Planning Inspectorate if this was not approved. This led to a significant reduction in affordable housing levels secured through the planning system. Since then this issue has lessened and, with the exception of Battersea Power Station, I am not aware of other more recent cases where this has arisen.
My expert Viability Team and the wider Planning Team have played an important role in increasing affordable housing levels across London through developing and implementing my Affordable Housing and Viability SPG and affordable housing policies in the new London Plan and reviewing viability assessments and negotiating affordable housing obligations for referable applications – on which we have seen a significant increase in the levels of affordable housing. The team also support and provide resources to all boroughs through the London Authorities Viability Group, whose meetings continue to be very well attended.

Affordable Housing & Viability Supplementary Planning Guidance (3)

Susan Hall: Please advise as to how many housing developments on public land in the capital have, since the launch of your Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) in 2018, been comprised of at least 50% affordable housing, thereby qualifying for the fast-track route. How many homes has this delivered?

The Mayor: Since publication of my guidance in August 2017, 18 referable schemes have met my threshold for public land, providing 3,033 affordable homes. 14 schemes provided 50 per cent or more affordable housing, and 4 provided between 35 and 50 per cent affordable housing because the sites were a mix of public and private land or were part of a public land portfolio.
These figures exclude non-referable applications and so the actual number of schemes with 50 per cent or more affordable housing are higher. Information from the London Development Database (LDD) includes non-referable applications but does not record whether sites are in private or public ownership. For context, this indicates that 154 schemes with 50 per cent or more affordable housing on public and private land were approved between August 2017 and the end of 2019, providing 6,040 affordable homes. Following publication of my new London Plan on 2nd March 2021, my approach to public land will form part of the statutory Development Plan for London which will carry greater weight and help to ensure that more schemes follow the Fast Track Route.
Notes: The figures exclude estate regeneration schemes which do not follow the Fast Track Route (and for LDD data, sites with existing residential units), and schemes of less than 10 units. The time periods for the two datasets are different and so these are not directly comparable.

Analysis of collisions in Kensington and Chelsea

Caroline Russell: The Kensington High Street bike lane was first proposed in 2008. Councillors in Kensington and Chelsea have repeatedly said that they consider the views of their residents more important than those of people who walk and cycle through their borough. Could you provide an analysis, since 2008, of the numbers of serious and fatal collisions involving people walking and cycling in Kensington and Chelsea, and their borough of residence?

The Mayor: The table attached shows the number of people killed or seriously injured whilst walking or cycling in Kensington and Chelsea between 2008 and May 2020, which is the latest information available. Please note that 2020 data is provisional and likely to change.
The home postcode of people injured is in some cases recorded by the police at the scene of a collision. However, because these data is Personally Identifiable Information under the General Data Protection Regulation, Transport for London (TfL) is unable to provide details of the home location of casualties.
From September 2016 onwards the Metropolitan Police Service made changes to the methodology used by its officers to report road traffic collisions with the introduction of the Case Overview and Preparation Application system. As recommended by the Department for Transport, this system assigns severity according to the type of injury sustained. This means that some injuries that were previously reported by the police as slight are now reported as serious injuries. More details can be found in TfL’s latest ‘Casualties in Greater London’ factsheet: http://content.tfl.gov.uk/casualties-in-greater-london-2019.pdf.

The Mayor: Attachments
4297 attachment.xlsx

Speed Compliance Tool (1)

Caroline Russell: The Speed Compliance Tool is your interim alternative to Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) to control the speed of buses. What is the extent of the usage of this tool and can you provide a report that explains its operation?

The Mayor: All of Transport for London’s (TfL’s) bus operators have been provided with this tool to assist them with speed compliance and are using this as part of their normal operations. TfL also uses this tool to assist in answering enquiries and to understand the impact of the introduction of Intelligent Speed Assistance technology into London’s bus fleet. I have asked TfL to send you some information about how this bus operator tool can be used to assist with fleet speed compliance.

Intelligent Speed Assistance (2)

Caroline Russell: Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) is a core part of your bus safety standard. How many buses in London now have ISA fitted, what proportion of the fleet does this cover, and how many do you expect to fit with it each year until they all have this system in place?

The Mayor: Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) is now fitted on 1,643 buses, which is about 18 per cent of London’s bus fleet. It is a standard requirement on all new buses coming into service and Transport for London (TfL) is also planning to fit it on some of the current fleet to accelerate rollout further.
TfL cannot forecast how fast this total will rise each year as the number of new buses depends on policy decisions like the electrification of the fleet and on TfL’s current and future funding agreements with Government. Similarly, on the retrofitting front, this will depend on the funding situation, technical feasibility and the capacity of bus manufacturers and operators to fit the equipment without adversely affecting operations.
I continue to be committed to improving the safety of London’s bus fleet through the Bus Safety Programme. This includes the roll out of ISA and other technologies that form part of the wider Bus Safety Standard.

Supporting London’s musicians post-Brexit

Caroline Russell: Recently The Independent reported that the Government has misled the UK music industry over the issue of visa-free travel for musicians to/from the EU. It was in fact the UK Government who rejected the EU offer of reciprocal visa free travel for touring musicians. UK Music in their 2020 report, Music by Numbers, found that the total export revenue of the music industry was £2.9 billion in 2019. Do you agree with me that musicians being able to tour the EU is vital for our economy and vital for cultural exchange, and will you call on the Government to get round the table again with the EU to commit clearly to visa-free touring?

The Mayor: Yes, I completely agree that EU touring is vital for both the UK economy and cultural exchange.
On 3 February, I wrote to the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Oliver Dowden MP, about the UK Government’s failure to come to a deal with the EU. In the letter, I confirmed my support of industry and cross-party calls for the UK and the EU to come back to the negotiating table with immediate effect to ensure a deal is done.
The UK music industry is worth £5.8bn to the economy. Up to 80 per cent of UK musicians tour to the EU, and half of the revenue of UK orchestras’ international touring comes from EU tours. In addition, our opera houses call upon EU-based performers at short notice to cover absences.
Without an agreement on smooth travel, international touring will be prohibitive, expensive and will result in fewer cultural exchanges and tours between the UK and EU. This would be devastating for the UK’s music industry and for talent development.

Speed Compliance Tool (2)

Caroline Russell: The Speed Compliance Tool is your interim alternative to Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) to control the speed of buses. Given that operators such as Uber are publishing data that shows they know the speeds that vehicles under their operator license are reaching – have you reached out to operators licensed by Transport for London (TfL) to encourage them to use similar technology to reduce road danger in London?

The Mayor: The Speed Compliance Tool has been rolled out to London bus operators. It allows them to carry out targeted analysis of routes, look at where compliance issues may be occurring and put in place ways to combat this to reduce potential road danger in London.

Rent controls

Caroline Russell: In my research into the impact of the coronavirus crisis on the financial health of Londoners, the problem that Universal Credit and Local Housing Allowance doesn’t cover the cost of housing was raised. Will you increase your efforts to call for rent controls as part of the recovery effort?

The Mayor: In line with my commitment to make London an age-friendly city, my officers were working hard last year in collaboration with Age UK London and members of my Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Group to produce an action plan setting out how the work of the GLA Group could respond to the priorities of older Londoners.
That work involved an extensive process of engagement with older Londoners that helped reveal their priority concerns at the point when the pandemic began to take hold. These included concerns relating to the inclusiveness of the built environment, digital exclusion, travel housing, as well as issues relating to physical and mental wellbeing.
I know that both the pandemic and the resulting lockdown have hit older Londoners particularly hard, creating new priorities and challenges. Responding to these challenges has been a priority for the GLA during the response to the pandemic and will continue to be so as we move into recovery. The work on the original action plan has fed directly into the design of the nine recovery missions and the specific projects that will underpin them.
Equality, diversity and inclusion has been adopted as a cross-cutting principle for the recovery programme, and we will be making clear how this work will deliver for a number of different groups – including older Londoners – later in the year.

Financial impacts of the coronavirus crisis

Caroline Russell: I have been hearing from organisations including Fair Finance, Toynbee Hall and Impact on Urban Health about the impact that the coronavirus crisis is having on the financial health of Londoners. One of the worst effects is debt. What work is the London Recovery Board doing to support Londoners who have been forced into debt over the last year?

The Mayor: Supporting Londoners at risk of, or experiencing, financial hardship is at the heart of the work of the London Recovery board, and in particular, the work to develop a Robust Safety Net for London. .
The goal of this work is to ensure that every Londoner can access the support they need to prevent, or escape, financial hardship. A critical part of this is signposting Londoners with trusted information about their rights and entitlements and connecting them with free sources of social welfare legal advice - including debt advice. Jim Minton, the CEO of Toynbee Hall, has been appointed as mission co-chair to help us develop and deliver meaningful interventions that work towards this goal.
To start this work I am working to support Londoners in debt by promoting and signposting to the Debt Free London Partnership and funding their free debt advice helpline to be delivered 24 hours a day, seven days a week throughout February

Ward panels

Tony Devenish: The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham plans to disband Ward Panels, will you intervene to save this vital link to the community?

The Mayor: The ward panels are key to the local police team’s engagement with their community. As recognised by the local authority in their response to the Commission, ward panels remain an important and ever relevant mechanism to facilitate two-way provision of information and consultation, and there are no plans to disband them.

Letter from TfL Commissioner to Bus Operators re ’Special Leave for Vulnerable Bus Drivers'

Keith Prince: In your response to 2021/0130, you appear to suggest that the Transport Commissioner hasn’t received any formal written confirmation from Bus Operators that they’ve agreed to his ‘urge’ that they give special leave for vulnerable Bus Drivers. Kindly provide me with any written confirmation that TfL has received from each Bus Operator confirming that the Commissioner’s ‘urge’ has been accepted and is being implemented by them. Accordingly, please also provide details as to how TfL are monitoring the conduct of that process.

The Mayor: Formal confirmation was provided at conference calls as this was a much quicker way of providing assurance to Transport for London and the Transport Commissioner. The bus operators gave verbal assurances this would happen, as mentioned in my answer to your previous question 2021/0130. Since then, conference calls with bus operators and Unite the union have been used to track progress on furloughing and obtain further assurances on workforce safeguards.

Criminal exploitation of children

Tony Devenish: The report ‘Still not safe’ published in February 2021 states that 1 in 25 youths are at risk of exploitation. To tackle the consequences of criminal exploitation and serious violence on children, it recommends that there needs to be a significant expansion of early help services, which can identify emerging issues and prevent problems from developing. What are you doing in London to address this?

The Mayor: London’s Violence Reduction Unit has built a strategy centred around the influential relationships that can impact positively on a young person’s life - families, youth workers, teachers and peers. The Unit is supporting families through the development of a parents and carers network, has set up a Young Leaders Action Group, invested in a leadership programme for 100 youth sector workers and funded training for healthcare professionals to spot signs of domestic abuse.
Furthermore, the VRU has recently funded mentoring support to disadvantaged young Londoners who attend London's Pupil Referral Unit’s. This funding package of £2.38 million includes investment of £1.38 million for community-led after-school activity, which evidence shows is when young people are most at risk of becoming involved or being a victim of violence.

Bayonne Estate CCTV

Tony Devenish: Will the Mayor intercede with the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham who appear not to be maintaining CCTV within and adjacent to the Bayonne Estate, which is fuelling criminality?

The Mayor: London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham has 69 cameras on the Bayonne Estate to provide additional security and to assist in detecting and responding to crime and antisocial behaviour. In late December 2021, these cameras lost the ability to pan, zoom and tilt. Repairs are underway and it is expected that works will be completed and CCTV operational again shortly.
In the meantime, the council’s Neighbourhood Warden Service have been asked to patrol the location to increase visibility and provide reassurance to residents. The Neighbourhood Warden Service are able to respond to low level anti-social behaviour and can be contacted 7 days per week.
The Police Safer Neighbourhood Team have also undertaken increased patrols and engaged with local residents around any reported crimes.

Battersea Bridge Crossings

Tony Devenish: Including step-by-step details, what is the timetable for TfL making Battersea Bridge safe to cross?

The Mayor: My thoughts are with the family and friends of the man who was tragically killed on Battersea Bridge in January of this year. Every death on London’s streets is one too many and I am committed to making London’s streets safer for everyone.
The junction of Battersea Bridge with Chelsea Embankment and Cheyne Walk is extremely busy and complex, making it challenging to develop a scheme that will protect the safety of all road users.
Transport for London (TfL) has made this a top priority and is pushing ahead with a plan for a new signalised pedestrian crossing on the north side of the bridge, making it easier and safer to cross here. TfL plans to start construction on the crossing later this year, and will also reduce the speed limit on Chelsea Embankment from 30mph to 20mph to further reduce danger to vulnerable road users, including people walking and cycling.
Following delivery of the crossing, TfL will continue to work closely with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and other key stakeholders on plans to deliver further pedestrian crossings on Cheyne Walk and Beaufort Street.

Inclusion London

Tony Devenish: What measures are you taking in response to Inclusion London's report “Locked Down and Abandoned: Disabled People’s Experiences of Covid-19"?

The Mayor: It’s unacceptable that many of London’s 1.3 million disabled people have experienced health, social and financial challenges brought on by the pandemic.
To tackle the immediate impact of the pandemic, I pledged nearly £10m to the London Community Response Fund for civil society organisations including frontline disability organisations supporting disabled Londoners. Addressing this must also be central to our plans for London's recovery too.
The report’s recommendations align with my ongoing work supporting and advocating for the needs of disabled Londoners. I’ve called for the £20 uplift in Universal Credit to be made permanent and extended to all benefits; I published advice through my Employment Rights Hub on London.gov.uk for disabled workers at risk of workplace discrimination; and I continue to call on Government to deliver a fit-for-purpose social care system which enables independent living and respects the rights of disabled people.
We can and must do more for disabled people as we recover from this terrible pandemic. My officers are working with Inclusion London to ensure the voices and experiences of disabled Londoners shape and inform our work, learning from this report and the wider experiences of deaf and disabled people across London. The London Recovery Programme offers an opportunity for genuine action and meaningful change to address structural inequalities which create harmful and unfair barriers for disabled Londoners.

Outstanding warrants

Steve O'Connell: For December 2018, December 2019 and December 2020, how many outstanding warrants did the MPS have?

The Mayor: Please see the table below for outstanding warrants
Date
Total Outstanding Warrants
Dec-18
6583
Dec-19
7496
Dec-20
7623

Police Staff Investigators

Steve O'Connell: Please can you provide the number of Police Staff Investigators employed by the Met, broken down by area of investigation? What is the target number for each area of investigation?

The Mayor: The target and actual number of civilian and police staff investigators by operational function are set out in the table below.
Business Group
Target
Actual
Frontline Policing
Central Specialist Crime
33
26
Frontline Policing Headquarters
54
23
NA - North Area Command Unit
1
1
Specialist Crime North
2
7
Specialist Crime South
0
7
Frontline Policing Total
90
64
Met Operations
MO6 Public Order Planning
0
5
MO8 Roads & Transport Policing
10
2
Met Operations Total
10
7
Professionalism
Internal and External Inquiries
2
0
Professionalism Total
2
0
Specialist Operations
SO15 - Counter Terrorism Command
4
5
Specialist Operations Total
4
5
Grand Total
106
76
Police Staff Investigators (PSIs) and agency resource Civilian Investigators (CIs) have been used by the MPS to meet surges in demand and increase investigative capacity during a national shortage of detectives. The disparity between target and actual numbers is mainly within the Violent Crime Taskforce (VCTF) – part of Frontline Policing HQ in the table. The VCTF has now been filled with the PCs and DCs required, and the number of staff/civilian investigators are being reduced. For the new financial year, the design targets will be amended to reflect the reduced requirement.

LGBT+ Venues Charter (1)

Susan Hall: Which developers, pubs & venues in London have shown their commitment to the LGBT+ community, by signing up to the LGBT+ Venues Charter?

The Mayor: LGBTQ+ venues are important community spaces for Londoners, providing safe and welcoming places to meet.
28 venues and three pub companies have signed up to my LGBTQ+ Venues Charter. A full list of signatories can be found at https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/arts-and-culture/lgbtq-nightlife-venues

Support culture at risk (2)

Susan Hall: In what areas of London are the sectors helped by your support for culture at risk in London?

The Mayor: My Culture at Risk Office has a remit to safeguard and protect cultural infrastructure across all London boroughs, supporting culture, creative industries and the night-time economy organisations.
The office has supported cases in each of the 32 London boroughs and the City of London. My £2.3 million Culture at Risk Business Support Fund is providing emergency assistance to sustain cultural, creative and night-time businesses most vulnerable to the impacts of COVID-19. To date, the fund has supported 301 culture and creative businesses and 11,500 artists across 19 London boroughs.

Post-16 Pathways

Susan Hall: How has the research that analysed the pathways young people from different backgrounds in London pursue post-16, informed your holistic & strategic approach to skills in London? How successful has this approach been?

The Mayor: A range of recommendations were proposed in summer 2020 as a result of the quantitative and qualitative findings made in the research into the trajectories of post-16 learners in London, which was commissioned jointly by the Greater London Authority and London Councils.
I have highlighted the recommendations in my response to the Government’s review of post-16 qualifications at level 3 and below in England, specifically around schools and further education colleges having sufficient resources to fulfil their statutory obligations to provide effective careers education, information, advice and guidance advice (CEIAG) to learners at all key stages of the learner’s journey, but also that the Government should consider the overall impact of study options available at post-16 as well as a review of qualifications.
I will also continue to lobby central government about the importance of these recommendations to improve progression opportunities for younger learners through my officers working closely with the Young People’s Education and Skills Board at London Councils, on which the Directors of Children’s Services in London’s boroughs are represented.

Availability of AEB

Susan Hall: How are you ensuring that the devolved Adult Education Budget (AEB) continues to be made available to those Londoners who need it most?

The Mayor: Upon delegation of the Adult Education Budget (AEB) in September 2019, I have committed to ensuring that learning is accessed by Londoners who need it most. In particular, I have extended eligibility for AEB-funded courses to learners in low-paid work and fully funded Deaf Londoners’ first British Sign Language qualification. I have enabled AEB providers to spend more of their allocation on pre-employment and job-focused training to support those at risk of long-term unemployment. I have also allowed unemployed and low-paid learners who have already achieved a first level 3 to take a subsequent fully-funded level 3 qualification.
Last summer, I launched an £11m COVID-19 Response Fund to enable providers to adapt to the pandemic, including supporting learners at risk of digital exclusion.
Next academic year I am increasing funding for qualifications at Level 2 and below by 10% and I’m awarding up to £16 million through the Good Work for All Fund to help Londoners into work. To further target provision, I will be asking all providers of the AEB to set out how they will meet the objectives of London’s recovery programme in their delivery plans for the academic year 21/22.

Culture Seeds Funding Programme (1)

Susan Hall: How effective was your Culture Seeds Funding Programme?

The Mayor: I am delighted with the success of my Culture Seeds programme. It has benefited 242 community-led projects in all London boroughs including in some of London’s least well-served communities.
To date, completed projects have benefited almost 85,000 Londoners as participants and audiences and created over 1,200 volunteering opportunities. 39 per cent of funded projects took place in the 20 per cent most deprived areas of London. 40 per cent of projects focused on reaching Black Asian and Minority Ethnic participants, 21 per cent on older people and 15 per cent of projects aimed to address loneliness and isolation.
44 per cent of grant-holders had not received any grant funding before and a further 34 per cent had only received fewer than 3 small grants previously, delivering a key goal of the Fund to reach grassroots communities who may not ordinarily access grant funding in London.

Culture-led approach to dementia

Susan Hall: How has your culture-led approach to working with people living with dementia in London made cultural institutions across the capital more dementia friendly?

The Mayor: In my Culture Strategy ‘Culture for All Londoners’ I pledged to fund and support new culture-led approaches to working with those living with dementia.
As part of my commitment to Dementia Friendly London, I have funded the Museum of London over the past three years to work in care homes with people with dementia. During the pandemic this programme has pivoted to support virtual reminiscence workshops and online resources. The museum established a network to help more cultural institutions become dementia friendly in collaboration with The Alzheimer’s Society. This includes 25 members from across arts and culture.

Culture Seeds Funding Programme (3)

Susan Hall: Which community-led cultural projects in London boroughs have benefitted from your Culture Seeds Funding Programme?

The Mayor: My Culture Seeds programme has benefited 242 community-led projects across all London boroughs. A full list of all projects funded by Culture Seeds is available on the London.gov.uk website.
https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/arts-and-culture/current-culture-projects/culture-seeds/projects-weve-funded

Support culture at risk (1)

Susan Hall: What sectors have been helped by your support for culture at risk in London?

The Mayor: My Culture at Risk Office was set up to safeguard and protect cultural infrastructure in London, supporting organisations across culture, creative industries and the night-time economy. This has included local arts centres, libraries, pubs, theatres, museums, community centres, legal street art walls, creative workspaces, rehearsal spaces, nightclubs and LGBTQ+ venues. COVID-19 has had a catastrophic impact on the culture, creative and night-time sectors. Since March 2020, my Culture at Risk Office has responded to over 715 new cases, compared to a previous average of around 150 cases a year.
My £2.3 million Culture at Risk Business Support Fund provided emergency assistance to sustain spaces most vulnerable to the impacts of COVID-19. This included support for artists’ workspaces, grassroots music venues, LGBTQ+ venues and independent cinemas. To date, the fund has supported 301 culture and creative businesses and 11,500 artists. No grassroots music venues have closed in London since the start of the crisis.

Cultural Infrastructure Plan

Susan Hall: How is your Cultural Infrastructure Plan protecting & increasing cultural facilities in London?

The Mayor: My Cultural Infrastructure Plan brings together a range of policies and programmes to support and grow cultural facilities and this approach has already been proven to work.
My Culture at Risk Office was set up to safeguard and protect cultural infrastructure in London and has supported and protected over 715 cultural spaces and organisations during the COVID-19 pandemic alone.
My London Plan includes explicit protection for existing cultural venues, facilities and uses. It includes a new Agent of Change and Public House policy. This has already benefitted threatened infrastructure such as the George Tavern in Stepney. The new Creative Enterprise Zones policy has supported the delivery of over 15,000sqm of affordable creative workspace in 6 boroughs. New Cultural Infrastructure has also been secured, resulting in over 13,000sqm of space. Provision for new cultural infrastructure is also embedded in the Opportunity Area Planning Framework for Abbey Wood and Thamesmead.

Cost of Brexit to the Met

Unmesh Desai: Please provide an estimate of how much money has been spent by the Met police on preparing to leave the European Union, including putting in place contingency measures to cover the loss of databases such as the Schengen Information System and tools such as the European Arrest Warrant. Please provide, if possible, a) the estimated cost to date and b) the estimated future total cost.

The Mayor: It is too early to quantify the financial impact of Brexit at this stage. The MPS has already had to adopt different processes in order to mitigate the loss of access to certain EU databases and these processes are often slower to use. This included circulating information on two different systems in the run up to 31st December.
The International Crime Coordination Centre (ICCC) has been preparing for the transition and has been provided with Home Office funding of £2.4m in 2018/19 and up to £6.65m in 2019/20.

Budget cuts since 2010

Unmesh Desai: Please provide the cumulative cost of cuts to the Met’s budget since 2010 as well as those to come by the end of the financial year 2022/23.

The Mayor: Since financial year 2013/14, after which additional funding for the 2012 Olympic Games ceased, the MPS has made gross savings of £886m up to and including financial year 2020/21.
The MPS estimate that a further £163m of savings are required by 2022/23, of which around £101m have been identified.

Covid-19 fines and arrests

Unmesh Desai: Please advise how many fines and arrests have been made for breaches of Covd-19 related restrictions in each of the following: October 2020, November 2020, December 2020, January 2021 to date. Please provide this data by borough, if possible.

The Mayor: The MPS COVID-19 dashboard contains data on the number of COVID related fixed penalty notices sent to ACRO for approval by the MPS and arrests where for offences related to Health Protection Regulations (2020) and/or was a feature of another offence. The data covers the period since w/c/ 23rd March 2020 and is updated monthly. The data that populates the dashboard is downloadable.
https://www.met.police.uk/sd/stats-and-data/met/covid-19-dashboard/

Tier 4 travel fines and arrests

Unmesh Desai: Please advise how many people have been a) arrested b) fined for breaching the Tier 4 Covid-19 restrictions relating to travelling out of London.

The Mayor: The MPS COVID-19 dashboard contains data on the number of fixed penalty notices sent to ACRO for approval by the MPS since 23rd March 2020 and is updated monthly. The dashboard contains the type of offence and when the fixed penalty notice was sent. The data that populates the dashboard is downloadable.
https://www.met.police.uk/sd/stats-and-data/met/covid-19-dashboard/

Congestion Charge changes

Caroline Pidgeon: Please state how much the Congestion Charge has raised in revenue since the temporary changes were introduced on the 22 June 2020. Please also state how much revenue was raised over exactly the same period during 2019.

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) reports that actual net revenue as a consequence of implementing the combined temporary changes to the Congestion Charge, from 22 June to end of December 2020, is estimated to be £86m, with the total congestion charging revenue to that date being £174m. The equivalent figure for 2019 was £138m. Please note that the system infrastructure does not allow for segmented reporting and therefore the estimate for the revenue pertaining to temporary changes is an approximation. The April to December net revenue for 2020 was impacted by the suspension of the scheme between 23 March and 17 May 2020 and the various lockdowns initiated by the Government.

Stop and search disciplinary action

Unmesh Desai: How many Met police officers have received formal or informal disciplinary action, or been dismissed, as a result of a stop and search incident in each of the last four years?

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police have provided the following information. The table below shows the different outcomes of disciplinary action in connection with stop and search over the last four years, recognising where there has been changes in the regulations.
The table below shows the different types of informal action and formal action (including dismissal). Informal action usually takes the form of management action or practice requiring improvement; this can be anything from the officer’s line manager giving them advice on how to improve, further training, or an action plan. Formal action would be a written warning, final written warning or dismissal.
In February 2020, Home Office reforms introduced new requirements for the recording of complaints. These are designed to make it easier to understand the types of complaint being recorded by police forces for analytical and learning purposes. The Reflective Practice Review Process (RPRP) was introduced as part of the Home Office Integrity Reforms to the police complaints and misconduct systems. RPRP is not a disciplinary process - It is designed to be a way of dealing with relatively low-level misconduct or performance issues in a proportionate way.
These figures do not include individual learning points and action plans, for example, that line mangers may have identified and will implement as part of officer development. This action is not formally recorded under the regulations and therefore not available for reporting purposes.
Outcome
2017
2018
2019
2020
Management Action
11
27
15
53
Other Action - Informal Action by Line Manager
0
0
0
44
Reflective Practice
n/a
n/a
n/a
59
Total Informal Action
11
27
15
156
Formal Action
6
3
9
2
Formal Action and Dismissed
0
0
0
0

Mayor’s Air Quality Fund (2)

Caroline Pidgeon: To ensure that the number of zero emission capable taxis increases throughout 2021, will you consider using some of the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund to provide reduced or free electric charging for these vehicles for a limited time period? This would help offset the loan payments drivers have had to pay whilst not being able to work in the pandemic.

The Mayor: The total value of the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund is £22m. As you are aware, the fund has been divided into rounds over a number of years and is now in the second year of the third and final round, with £19.2m allocated to boroughs to date and the remaining £1.8m to be provided by 31st March 2022.

Fuel Poverty Partnership (2)

Leonie Cooper: What have been the key successes of your London Fuel Poverty Partnership?

The Mayor: Please see the answer to 2021/0624

TfL Salaries

Shaun Bailey: What is the total amount of money earned by TfL employees earning over £100,000, each year since 2015/16 up until 2019/20?

The Mayor: Before the pandemic, Transport for London (TfL) was already reducing its operating costs year on year and had placed constraints on pay and performance awards to executive and senior staff. The number of TfL staff on salaries of more than £100k has reduced since I became Mayor from 188 in 2016 to 156 in March 2020. A base pay freeze for the Commissioner, Managing Directors and Directors, implemented in 2016 for the duration of my Mayoral term, still remains in place. Payment of 2019-20 performance awards for Senior Managers, Directors, Chief Officers and the Commissioner have been deferred to June 2021 and no performance awards will be paid to this group of staff for 2020-21.
The total amount of money earned by TfL employees earning over £100,000 from 2015/16 - 2019/20 is shown in the table below. A breakdown has also been provided to show the number of employees receiving a base salary of £100k or more, a base salary between £80k and £100k, voluntary severance payments taking earnings over £100k and the level of overtime worked taking earnings of over £100k.
The total figures in the table below show the number of employees receiving total remuneration of over £100K and includes salaries, performance related pay, one-off severance payments and overtime earned by specialistsworking on major transport upgrades.
2015/16
2016/17
2017/18
2018/19
2019/20
Base salary of £100k or more
182
189
169
171
178
Base salary between £80k and £100k
87
116
100
100
130
Voluntary severance payments taking earnings over £100k
70
122
224
117
82
Level of overtime worked taking earnings over £100k
63
88
71
80
131
Number of people
402
515
564
468
521
Total remuneration (£m)
48.7m
70.2m
78m
62.6m
68m

Green Homes Grants and London (2)

Leonie Cooper: How much of the £0.5 billion GHGLAD (Green Homes Grant: Local authority delivery scheme) funding provided to London has now been allocated? Please provide a breakdown of allocation across the London boroughs.

The Mayor: As per my response to MQ 2020/0819, London has secured £11.54 million, 15 per cent of funding allocated so far under Phase 1a of the Local Authority Delivery Scheme. The breakdown of this £11.54m by borough is below:
GLA-led spend through Warmer Homes £2.566m (GLA Warmer Homes - £2.013m; Camden - £166k; Kensington & Chelsea - £103k; Sutton - £115k; Westminster - £143k; Clarion Housing - £25k)
Ealing-led consortium £4.782m
Barking & Dagenham £1.6m
Richmond £0.535m
Hammersmith £0.567m
Islington £0.537m
Waltham Forest £0.955m
The successful bid to fund Warmer Homes was led by the GLA and included the following London Boroughs: Camden, Kensington & Chelsea, Sutton, Westminster (social and private sector housing), and Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Haringey, Lewisham, Islington, Merton (private sector housing only).

Improvements to Air Pollution and Londoners’ health (1)

Leonie Cooper: What assessment has been made of the impact of your measures to address London’s air quality on the health of Londoners?

The Mayor: I recently published a report which found my air quality policies and wider improvements in air pollution will increase the average life expectancy of a child born in London in 2013 by six months. However, despite these significant improvements, levels of air pollution in London are still too high for many Londoners and in 2019 toxic air contributed to the deaths of more than 4,000 Londoners.
I also published a report last year which revealed that by 2050 the impact of my air quality policies are predicted to result in almost 300,000 Londoners saved from diseases attributable to air pollution and one million fewer new air pollution related hospital admissions in London.; a cost saving to London’s NHS and social care system of around £5 billion.
In addition, I have published a series of reports which show how my air quality policies will reduce the inequality related to air pollution exposure.
Health burden of air pollution in London is available here: https://www.london.gov.uk/WHAT-WE-DO/environment/environment-publications/health-burden-air-pollution-london
Modelling the long-term health impacts of air pollution in London is available here: https://www.london.gov.uk/WHAT-WE-DO/environment/environment-publications/modelling-long-term-health-impacts-air-pollution-london
Air Pollution Exposure in London: Impact of the London Environment Strategy is available here: https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/environment/environment-publications/air-pollution-london-impact-environment-strategy

Covid-19 and Bus Garages

Keith Prince: Following up on Question 2020/1722, can you assure the Assembly that Phase 2 of the UCL research will establish the number of COVID infections, hospitalisations and deaths by bus garage week by week since the beginning of the pandemic, so that any potential clusters of infections can be identified and the role of infections in garages either established or ruled out?

The Mayor: I asked Transport for London (TfL) to commission research into the contributing factors to the tragic deaths of London bus drivers due to COVID-19. The Institute of Health Equity at UCL is currently undertaking Phase 2 of this research.
While it was never the aim or the intention of this second phase to report on numbers of infections, hospitalisations, or deaths by bus garage week-by-week, as part of the research all London bus drivers were invited to complete a survey examining their non-occupational and occupational risk factors for COVID-19, as well as their response to the measures taken by bus operators to reduce their risk. The bus operators have also shared information on the demographics of all London bus drivers.
This data is being analysed, and the final report is expected to be completed this spring. It will help bus operators and TfL determine what further measures can be put in place to reduce risk to bus drivers. As has been the case throughout, individual bus operators continue to closely monitor rates and locations of infections. Any clusters are managed accordingly by following PHE guidelines.

Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm (1)

Gareth Bacon: Who conducted the interviews for the members of the Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm?

The Mayor: The interview panel included the Co-Chairs of the Commission, Justine Simons OBE, Deputy Mayor for Culture and Creative Industries and Debbie Weekes-Bernard, Deputy Mayor for Social Integration, Social Mobility and Community Engagement, GLA Officers from the Communities and Social Policy and Culture & Creative Industries Units and an independent observer engaged by GLA Human Resources.

Fuel Poverty Partnership (3)

Leonie Cooper: How will you support families impacted by Covid-19 and forced to make difficult choices, including whether they can afford to heat their homes, during the next few months?

The Mayor: The current phase of my Warmer Homes programme is set to help almost 1,200 households by the autumn by improving their heating, insulation and ventilation. The funding that I have secured from the government’s Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery scheme will help hundreds more. My Warmer Homes Advice Service is open to all fuel poor Londoners and by April 2021 will have helped almost 8,100 households, with people supported in every borough. Alongside assisting them with applications for energy efficiency grants they also help residents access fuel debt support and energy and water social tariffs. I recently agreed to provide an extra £100,000 to the Warmer Homes Advice Service to help them meet a 20% increase in demand year on year. In addition, London Power is helping Londoners cut household energy bills with fair and affordable green tariffs e.g. our Pre-Payment Meter tariff is currently the cheapest in the market – £107.69 below the price cap.
Addressing fuel poverty is a central part of both the Green New Deal and Robust Safety Net recovery missions and as such will be tackled as part of London’s recovery.

ULEZ Information in Car Dealerships

Joanne McCartney: Has any work taken place with car dealerships to make sure that they don’t sell non-compliant vehicles, or at least inform buyers that they are buying a non-compliant ULEZ vehicle?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) engages regularly with the motor industry’s umbrella body, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, about the implementation of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). The ULEZ does not affect new car sales because most petrol-engine cars registered with the DVLA after 2005 and most diesels registered after September 2015 are compliant. TfL is also engaging with the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA), which represents franchisedcar dealers including sellers of used cars. The majority of the NFDA’s members’ sales are of vehicles aged six months to five years so are mostly ULEZ-compliant. TfL is now in discussion with used-car industry leader Autotrader to help ensure that buyers of older used cars get the ULEZ compliance information they need. TfL has promoted its ULEZ vehicle checker extensively since April 2019 with 12.1 million hits to date.

Bus Operator Ferry Driving and Covid-19 Risk (5)

Keith Prince: Is the driving compartment used by ferry drivers sealed from Bus Drivers?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) does not hold information on ferry vehicles to determine whether they are sealed or not. This is because the transit arrangements are arranged locally by bus operators and are not contracted services. TfL has, however, shared the learnings from the University College London cab protection work to help inform the way companies safeguard their staff. Operators must also meet Public Health England guidance on coronavirus-safe practices and, as employers of ferry and bus drivers, make operating decisions that reflect their health and safety responsibilities.

Unite the Union’s suspension of Arriva’s BAME Health & Safety Representatives

Keith Prince: In your response to Question 2020/2529, you state that Unite the Union’s decisions to suspend 7 BAME Health and Safety Representatives working for Arriva during the height of the pandemic were “internal matters for Unite the Union to deal with as they consider appropriate, and not for TfL or me to comment on”. Yet in your responses to Questions 2020/3659, 2020/2541, 2020/2119, and 2020/1623 you have repeatedly underscored the important role of Unite the Union Health and Safety representatives in ensuring Covid-19 Risk Reduction actions were carried out. If Unite the Union’s decisions to remove important safety resources were not agreed with TfL in advance, do you not agree that this action exposes a huge flaw in TfL’s pandemic response? Do you have confirmation that these suspended Representatives were replaced? What actions have you taken since April 2020 to ensure this perilous situation has been rectified?

The Mayor: I do not accept that the suspension of these Unite representatives is a flaw in the coronavirus pandemic response or represented a perilous situation. They would have been providing an extra layer of assurance on top of the operator’s health and safety arrangements. Transport for London (TfL) also understands that interim representation was arranged, and day-to-day supervision continued uninterrupted to maintain a strong presence on site.
The main responsibility for the site rests with the garage’s management team, supported by communications and posters. At an individual level, safety arrangements also require every member of staff to take personal responsibility for their actions. TfL’s health and safety managers are also in regular contact with their bus operator counterparts to share best practice and lend expertise.
These reps were bus operator employees, not Transport for London’s (TfL), and their withdrawal was an internal matter for Unite, as stated in previous answers, and not something TfL could direct or influence.

Eco refurbishments

Susan Hall: Since your £34m Energy for Londoners Scheme launch in 2018, how many “eco refurbishments” have been carried out via the Energy Leap project? Please provide evidence that these have reduced energy bills down to near zero.

The Mayor: My Energy Leap pilot project investigates the feasibility of performance-guaranteed, near-net zero energy standard home retrofit. Activities since launch have included identification of a social housing partner, a procurement process to select a contractor, tenant engagement, detailed design and planning consent. Barriers to implementation mainly centred around procurement delays, due to a lack of contractors capable of undertaking the work, and related supply chain issues (and latterly issues with residents and the Covid-19 pandemic). Solutions identified to overcome these barriers have been taken forward through my Retrofit Accelerator-Homes programme, which now has supported a pipeline of 230 homes planned to be retrofitted to this standard over the next 18-24 months.
The eight Energy Leap homes (the first in a capital city using the Energiesprong performance standard outside of the Netherlands), will be retrofitted in the coming months and so the effect on energy bills is not known yet. Design modelling indicates that typical consumers would save £200 a year from the works and those in fuel poverty would gain the equivalent of £200 or more in additional warmth.

Fuel Poverty Partnership

Susan Hall: Since your injection of £34m into your Energy for Londoners Scheme in 2018, how successful has the Fuel Poverty Partnership been in delivering long-term solutions to help Londoners out of fuel poverty? Please provide examples.

The Mayor: The Fuel Poverty Partnership has been a valuable alliance in supporting the delivery of my fuel poverty programmes, providing a route into and joining up of key sectors, and creating a collective voice to enable more effective lobbying of government.
It has contributed to the development of my Warmer Homes and Warmer Homes Advice Service programmes and we have had successes in co-ordinated lobbying Ofgem for better protections for prepayment meter users, NHS engagement and community outreach through London Fire Brigade.
The Partnership has contributed to all three objectives in my Fuel Poverty Action Plan. It supported the development of my Warmer Homes and Warmer Homes Advice Service programmes by helping to reach the most vulnerable amidst rising incidence of fuel poverty. NHS members of the Partnership promoted my programmes to at-risk Londoners through community pharmacies and respiratory services. Community outreach was improved through members such as the London Fire Brigade. Partnership members also successfully co-ordinated lobbying efforts at Ofgem to secure greater protections for prepayment meter users and at BEIS for improved energy efficiency standards in the private rented sector.
The Partnership also supported the development of my Retrofit Accelerator which is delivering whole-house retrofit to thousands of London homes, and supported the development of London Power which is delivering fair, affordable and green energy to all Londoners, especially the fuel poor.
As noted in MQ2021/0826 I am currently reviewing the future scope of the Partnership and how this work can be aligned with my Green New Deal mission.

Community Energy Fund

Susan Hall: Following on from the launch of your £34m Energy Scheme for Londoners in 2018, what has the uptake been for your Community Energy Fund? What is the evidence that this has assisted local groups to develop solar panel projects on schools, community halls, and sport centres?

The Mayor: To date I have held three rounds of my London Community Energy Fund, which has provided £500,000 development funding to get projects investment-ready with grants of up to £15,000. Community energy groups identified a need for project development funding following the withdrawal of such support from Government. Since its launch in 2017, the Fund has stepped in to supported 48 community energy projects, across 81 different buildings, and is estimated to have saved at least 1,500 tonnes of carbon per year. Importantly the fund has helped develop new community groups, often nurtured by more established groups. This has provided opportunities for new green skills and experience whilst supporting local jobs. Examples of funded projects are available at this link: https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/environment/energy/london-community-energy-fund
I announced a fourth round of funding in November last year to provide up to £665,000 in grants across both project development and, for the first time, capital works. Community energy groups responded enthusiastically and we have had our largest number of applications (for project development support) to date. We aim to inform successful applicants in the coming weeks so that projects can commence as soon as possible to save carbon, aid communities and contribute to the green recovery.

CS8 Streetspace Programme

Tony Devenish: Will you ensure that the CS8 Streetspace programme includes proper engagement with the several thousand residents and businesses which live and work in the vicinity?

The Mayor: Transport for London made temporary improvements to CS8 between Lambeth Bridge and Chelsea Bridge during summer 2020 as part of my Streetspace plan for London. TfL has been discussing these improvements with local people and other stakeholders since they were introduced. Monitoring is also being undertaken to assess the impact of the scheme on all road users along the upgraded route.
TfL will consider whether the temporary improvements should be retained or removed in due course, taking into account feedback from local people and other stakeholders. Should TfL believe that there is a case for retaining the improvements, they will consult local people before making a final decision.
TfL is also looking to make further improvements to CS8 between Chelsea Bridge and Wandsworth, and has already started engaging with residents, businesses and stakeholders. Any further changes to CS8 will be implemented through experimental traffic orders in line with latest government guidance. TfL will continue to engage with and listen to local views.

Victims' Code of Practice

Susan Hall: What were the findings of the complete review of adherence to the Victims’ Code of Practice, funded by your £44m commitment in 2018 to make London safe for women & girls?

The Mayor: The published review into compliance with the Victims Code of Practice can be found online at the following address: vcop_final_pages.pdf (london.gov.uk).

London-wide referral service

Susan Hall: Following on from your “Mayor’s £34m Energy for Londoners Scheme” press release on 21/01/18, how effective has the London-wide referral service you funded been, so that people living in fuel poverty could be linked with organisations offering health, income & energy efficient support? Please provide examples.

The Mayor: My Warmer Homes Advice Service is available to all low-income Londoners to help with accessing funding for heating and insulation improvements, dealing with energy debt, and accessing discounts on energy bills.
Between February 2018 and December 2020, the service assisted 7,451 households, including by delivering 5,939 home energy advice visits. The advice visits included detailed tailored energy advice, small energy and water saving measures, identification of heating and insulation needs, and advice on dampness and condensation. The visits are a central part of identifying homes eligible for Warmer Homes retrofits. It did this by recruiting almost 290 referral partners across health and social care services, charities, housing providers and an array of community organisations. I initially funded the Warmer Homes Advice Service with over £690,000, and recently added another £100,000 to deal with increased demand.

Free Home Energy Improvements

Susan Hall: Further to your press release dated 21/01/18, entitled “Mayor’s £34m Energy for Londoners’ Scheme”, what is the evidence that 335,000 households living in fuel poverty in London have since benefitted from free home energy improvements, including boilers, heating controls & insulation worth up to £4,000?

The Mayor: My Warmer Homes 1 programme has already helped 1,157 fuel-poor homes with energy efficient improvements. My £4.95m Warmer Homes 2 programme will be helping a further 1,188 homes in 2021 in the same way. The pandemic has meant an extension to delivery as it would have been unwise to go into homes during the periods of highest infection rates.
Shockingly, 11.4 percent of London households are living in fuel poverty. To address this issue at with the urgency it deserves, the government must provide more funding to allow these programmes to reach more households. The funding I have secured through the government’s Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery scheme is a good start and will help hundreds more households, but the government must give local authorities more time to spend their money in the most effective way possible. The pandemic has delayed delivery of Local Authority Delivery programmes across England as the majority of households are reluctant to allow non-essential works to take place, and government must be reasonable in these circumstances. The government must commit to a long-term funding package close to the £10bn that I outlined in my 1.5°C plan.

Assaults Against TfL Staff

Keith Prince: Presenting the data monthly for Nov 19 to Oct 20 please can you provide the number of times TFL staff were:
• Attacked?
• Threatened with a knife/bladed article?
• Injured by a knife/bladed article?

The Mayor: Tackling work-related violence and aggression (WVA) is a priority for Transport for London (TfL) and policing partners. Staff have the right to work without fear of abuse or intimidation, and TfL will always push for the strongest penalties against offenders. TfL, with its policing partners, is making good progress on the implementation of its first organisation-wide strategy to tackle WVA. This includes the rollout of body word video to thousands of TfL staff in operational and customer-facing roles and the introduction of Transport Support and Enforcement Officers to tackle the triggers of WVA. TSEOs are working with the police to keep staff and customers safe.
TfL incident data shows that there were 51 reports of physical assaults against TfL directly-employed staff between November 2019 and October 2020, which range from pushing and shoving to more serious violence with injury.
There were four incidents which included reference to ‘knife’ or ‘stab’ in the TfL incident report. In three of these incidents, the suspect threatened to stab the member of staff but no weapons were seen. In one incident, a member of TfL received a minor cut on their hand from a compass during a WVA incident.

Office-space protection (2)

Susan Hall: Further to the launch of your new office-space protection for new business in 2016, please detail the new spaces for small businesses, the creative industries, artists and the fashion industry - within new residential & mixed-use developments, which have been created in London.

The Mayor: Evidence from the London Development Database shows that 380,000 square metres of gross new office floorspace was delivered as part of housing mixed-use development between 2016 and 2018. Prominent examples in the capital where new space is being created for SMEs, creative industries, artists and the fashion industry in mixed-use residential neighbourhoods include:
The Trampery - a 6-acre campus of creative studios in Hackney Wick; Bow Arts RAW Open Studios - affordable creative studios in a development with Notting Hill Housing at Royal Albert Wharf; Greenwich Peninsula Design District – providing 16 new permanent buildings for creatives, secured at affordable rents; Blackhorse Road - 3,000 square metres of new affordable workspace and artist studios and 330 affordable homes; Manor Road Quarter – delivering affordable housing with flexible commercial space; Poplar Works and The Makery – with over 40 studios and workshops across two sites; and BloQs Meridian Water - which will support a community of creative and talented makers to grow in Enfield.

Thames Barrier pedestrian and cycle bridge

Caroline Pidgeon: What consideration is TfL giving to the proposal for a 530-metre multi-span, double-leaf bascule bridge immediately next to the Thames Barrier?

The Mayor: Transport for London is not currently involved in any proposal for such a bridge, but would be happy to provide advice to its promoters should they wish to discuss their proposals

Rotherhithe to Canary Wharf ferry

Caroline Pidgeon: Further to question 2020/2555 when do you expect clarity of TfL’s finances will be reached to finally enable development on proposals for a Rotherhithe to Canary Wharf ferry?

The Mayor: Discussions between Transport for London (TfL) and Government officials are underway ahead of the current funding and financing agreement expiring on 31 March 2021. Subject to the agreement reached, TfL will review its budget and prioritise its capital investment as appropriate at that time. At present, there remains continued uncertainty over TfL’s long-term financial position, and so my response to MQ 2020/2375 (referenced in MQ 2020/2555) remains the current position.

Planning application of land east of Montford Place

Caroline Pidgeon: What assurances can you provide local residents that the proposed planning application to the east of Montford Place, as set out in this planning application report by Lambeth Council
https://moderngov.lambeth.gov.uk/documents/s123219/PAC%20REPORT%20MONTFORD%20PLACE%2020.01086.FUL%20Final.pdf
will fully observe all planning policies as set out in the London Plan and that due process will be fully upheld in every part of the planning process, considering the concern that some people might have that this application will be treated favourably due to the land being owned by Transport for London?

The Mayor: All planning applications have to be decided in line with the relevant planning policies in the development plan. In London the development plan comprises the relevant local planning authority’s local plan and my London Plan. In relation to referable planning applications where TfL is the applicant or landowner, I am acutely aware of any perception of conflict between my statutory planning role and my TfL responsibilities. I therefore delegate the decision making to Jules Pipe, Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and Skills.

Payments to the Canary Wharf Group for delayed opening of Crossrail

Caroline Pidgeon: What would be the compensation payments that Crossrail would have to pay to the Canary Wharf for each month in 2022 that Canary Wharf Crossrail station is not connected to the Crossrail line?

The Mayor: In 2019, Transport for London and Canary Wharf Group agreed that 31 December 2022 is the earliest date on which any payment would become payable for the station not being operational.

April 2020 Tripartite Agreement between TfL, Bus Operators and Unite the Union

Keith Prince: When will you provide me with the documentation you promised to send me in your 5 October response to Question 2020/2701?

The Mayor: I understand Transport for London (TfL) sent this documentation to you on 21 January. The information requested can also be found here: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/transparency/freedom-of-information/foi-request-detail?referenceId=FOI-1586-2021

Fuel Poverty Partnership (1)

Leonie Cooper: What work has been the Fuel Poverty Partnership been undertaking to address rising incidences of fuel poverty across London?

The Mayor: Please see the answer to 2021/0624

Green Homes Grants and London (4)

Leonie Cooper: The Government’s Green Homes Grants to householders could complement the work of your Green New Deal recovery mission. To your knowledge how is the roll out of these vouchers going? Do you have any concerns?

The Mayor: I welcomed the funding announcements in the Summer Statement which would support London’s ambitions for housing retrofit as part of a green recovery but the funding announced is far short of the £10bn that London alone needs to improve the energy efficiency of its buildings, as identified in my 1.5C Compatible Plan.
I am also concerned at recent announcements that funding may be withdrawn if it is not spent quickly enough. It is important that we act quickly given the climate emergency but there is a limit to how quickly supply chains can scale up and gain the accreditations required. I have written to the Government to share my concerns and request an extension to the deadline to allow local authorities to spend the money effectively. I also call for all domestic energy efficiency funding to be devolved to London so that we can align it with my own programmes and deliver it more effectively.

Temporary Reduction in Service Enfield Town and Bush Hill Park

Joanne McCartney: How long do you estimate there being a reduction in the peak service on the London Overground between Enfield Town and Bush Hill Park?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) expects these service levels to continue whilst coronavirus- related pressures remain on both passenger demand and staff availability. London Overground is currently running at 99 per cent of capacity, maintaining the best service possible in the current circumstances. Nationally, rail service levels are much lower at around 70 per cent of normal levels. TfL will continue to closely monitor both demand and staff availability and will look to re-introduce this peak service when the conditions are right to do so.

TfL Discussions of Covid-19 Risk Assessments

Keith Prince: Please provide me with copies of all documentation (emails, directives, decisions and handwritten notes) pertaining to TfL’s discussions—with Bus Operators, Unite the Union and, if applicable, the ORR and Health & Safety Executive—of Covid-19 Risk Assessments for TfL Bus Depots/Garages.

The Mayor: The legal duty to ensure that each bus depot / garage is a safe place to work rests with the employer – and accordingly the responsibility for undertaking a Covid-19 Risk Assessment rests with the respective individual bus operating company. Transport for London (TfL) does not hold copies of these Covid-19 risk assessments for garage premises.
Throughout the pandemic, extensive collaboration has taken place at all levels between Transport for London (TfL), the bus operating companies and Unite the union to ensure the latest advice and best practice relating to coronavirus is being followed, and that appropriate steps are taken to mitigate the spread of the virus. As many of these interactions could form part of the risk assessment, the wide-ranging request would require an extensive level of searching to be carried out by TfL.
You will be aware that TfL resources are extremely limited at the moment and focused on a safe and sustainable recovery in preparation for the easing of lockdown arrangements. Searching for and then providing any such records in the near future will not be possible. You may wish to amend your question to indicate a specific issue or role of a TfL correspondent whose communications with a specific party are relevant to your enquiry. I would be happy to ask TfL to answer a specific and manageable request.
Please also see Mayor’s Question 2021/0121.

Fuel Poverty Partnership (5)

Leonie Cooper: Who are the current members of the London Fuel Poverty Partnership? Will you be reviewing membership in the forthcoming year?

The Mayor: The current members of the London Fuel Poverty Partnership are listed on the website:
https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/environment/energy/london-fuel-poverty-partnership
The Fuel Poverty Partnership has been a valuable alliance and I am currently reviewing the future scope of the Partnership and how this work can be aligned with my Green New Deal mission. This will include inviting a key member(s) of the Partnership into the governance of my Green New Deal mission so we can better integrate fuel poverty action with the green recovery effort.

Fuel Poverty Partnership (4)

Leonie Cooper: Can you provide an update on your Fuel Poverty Action Plan for London commitment to a new programme on Benefit Entitlement Check for fuel poor Londoners?

The Mayor: The Benefit Entitlement Check service went out to tender last year and no contractors came forward who were able work effectively alongside my Warmer Homes Advice Service and deliver best value. As such, the Warmer Homes Advice Service has worked alongside existing benefit check providers across London to secure benefit entitlement checks for almost 500 households. The service from existing benefit check providers remains variable across London therefore I intend to negotiate with providers to secure a service that will work within the next phase of the Warmer Homes Advice Service.

Covid-19 Risk Assessments for Bus Depots/Garages

Keith Prince: Please provide me with copies of the current approved Covid-19 Risk Assessment for each TfL Bus Depot/Garage.

The Mayor: The legal duty to ensure that each bus depot / garage is a safe place to work rests with the employer – and accordingly the responsibility for undertaking a Covid-19 Risk Assessment rests with the respective individual bus operating company. Transport for London (TfL) does not hold copies of these Covid-19 risk assessments for garage premises.
Although TfL does not require the bus operators to share copies of these risk assessments, TfL has engaged with all its contracted bus operators to ensure a joined-up approach and that current safety arrangements on site are suitable and sufficient during the pandemic. It is confident operators are undertaking their activities to reflect Public Health England and industry best practice.
The Buses leadership team at TfL continues to hold regular conference calls with the bus operators to discuss Covid specific arrangements, understand how sickness and confirmed infection cases are affecting their people and operations, and understand the actions being taken to safeguard network staff. Evidence of the timeliness of introducing numerous control measures was reviewed as part of the UCL Institute of Health Equity report.
TfL safety, health and environment business partners assist their counterparts at bus garages as much as possible with their knowledge, so that the key requirements of a physical visit are covered. At garages, there are also designated health and safety union representatives who are employees of the bus operators. They work with the operator’s health and safety managers and have had formal safety training, giving an additional level of assurance that Public Health England guidance is being followed.

Affordable Housing & Viability Supplementary Planning Guidance (2)

Susan Hall: Please advise as to how many housing developments on private land in London have, since the launch of your Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) in 2018, met your threshold of delivering 35% affordable housing without public funding. How many homes has this delivered?

The Mayor: Since publication of my guidance in August 2017, 54 referable schemes on private land have met my 35 per cent threshold, providing 7,176 affordable homes. These figures exclude non-referable applications and so the actual number of schemes with 35 per cent or more affordable housing are higher. Information from the London Development Database (LDD) includes non-referable applications but does not record whether sites are in private or public ownership. For context, this indicates that 253 schemes with 35 per cent or more affordable housing on public and private land were approved between August 2017 and the end of 2019, providing 21,041 affordable homes. Following publication of my new London Plan on 2nd March 2021, my Threshold Approach to affordable housing will form part of the statutory Development Plan for London which will carry greater weight and help to ensure that more schemes provide 35 per cent or more affordable housing.
Notes: The figures exclude estate regeneration schemes which do not follow the Fast Track Route (and for LDD data, sites with existing residential units), and schemes of less than 10 units. The time periods for the two datasets are different and so these are not directly comparable.

Fuel Poverty Partnership Minutes

Leonie Cooper: The last available minutes of your London Fuel Poverty Partnership are dated May 2019. Have any further meetings taken place, and if so, can the papers from these meetings be posted on the LFPP webpage?

The Mayor: The last meeting took place in October 2019and the minutes for this meeting have not been posted as not yet officially approved by the Partnership. All previous meeting minutes, have now been posted onto the London Fuel Poverty Partnership webpage.
Whilst the Partnership has not met formally because of the constraints caused by the pandemic, officers have liaised with the members throughout the period to keep them abreast of progress, share information on policy developments and gather views to inform future work. To that end, they have contributed to my position on improving energy efficiency standards in the private rented sector and to the development and delivery of my fuel poverty programmes, notably, Warmer Homes and the Warmer Homes Advice Service. They are now feeding into the work of the London Recovery Board to ensure fuel poverty is integrated with the recovery effort.
The Fuel Poverty Partnership has been a valuable alliance and I am currently reviewing the future scope of the Partnership and how this work can be aligned with my Green New Deal mission. This will include inviting a key member(s) of the Partnership into the governance of my Green New Deal mission so we can better integrate fuel poverty action with the green recovery effort.

Funeral Costs and COVID-19

Murad Qureshi: Funeral Expenses Payments are limited to people on certain means-tested benefits excludes some groups, most notably those with no recourse to public funds (NRPF) conditions and undocumented migrants. What discussions, if any, have you had with the Government on this issue, and do they have any plans to remove these barriers?

The Mayor: It’s unacceptable that thousands of Londoners continue to be locked out of financial support during the pandemic, particularly those who have lost loved ones.
I’m doing all I can help Londoners maximise their incomes by signposting them to trusted sources of information and advice about their rights and entitlements via London.gov.uk. I’m also working with partners though the London Recovery Partnership to develop a genuinely robust local safety net for those in financial hardship.
But the levers to make a real difference lie in the hands of the Government. Since the start of the pandemic I have publicly and privately called on them on numerous occasions to suspend benefit limitations and NRPF conditions to ensure that everyone who needs it can access the services and financial support they desperately need, including support with funeral costs.
I urge them again to do the right thing and use the upcoming budget to announce these changes.

First Dibs

Murad Qureshi: Following MQ 2020/3532 are you in a position to confirm the date when the first dibs review will begin?

The Mayor: The review is in hand. I hope to be able to update you in due course on when it will be published.

TfL’s Lack of Data on Bus Workers hospitalised or on Long-Term Sick Leave as a result of Covid-19 Infections (1)

Keith Prince: Given your admission in responses to Questions 2020/2535 and 2020/2536 that TfL had no data on both the number of Bus Workers hospitalised or on Long Term Sick Leave as a result of Covid-19 infections, how can you assure us that TfL can run a safe bus service for its Drivers and Passengers?

The Mayor: I am confident we have a safe bus network for drivers and passengers. Transport for London (TfL) has worked with the bus operators to put safeguards in place, such as isolating the driver’s cab from passengers, providing fresh air ventilation for drivers cabs where this didn’t already exist, and enhanced cleaning with anti-viral agents. TfL also moved quickly to supply disinfectant wipes and free disposable face masks to bus drivers.
As bus operators hold personnel records for employees, they have full visibility of those self-isolating, off-sick, furloughed as well as those due to return to work. This information is used to aid rostering and scheduling decisions.
The operators have consistently followed the latest Public Health England (PHE) advice and adapted vehicles and working practices around both PHE guidance and University College London’s (UCL’s) research into the risks of transmission and measures to minimise them as much as possible.
A range of other measures have been introduced to help keep drivers and passengers safe on the bus network, including lower capacity limits on buses and enforcement of the Government’s requirement for customers to wear face coverings on public transport. In the summer, TfL also gave out free face coverings at its five busiest bus stations and 16 most-used Tube stations to help change public behaviour.

TfL Housing Commitment

Murad Qureshi: When do you think TfL will start on site with the 10,000 homes to be built over 300 acres of its land?

The Mayor: In 2020 Transport for London (TfL) confirmed that it cannot achieve its original target of starting on 10,000 homes by March 2021 because of delays brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. TfL has continued to progress projects where it can, but its ability to commit long-term investment is constrained by lack of certainty beyond the end of the current Government Funding Agreement. Until there is long term funding certainty, TfL will not be able to confirm timescales for its housing programme.

Collective Strategic Investment

Susan Hall: Since the retention of 100% business rate growth from April 2018 & your subsequent £140m investment to boost the London economy, please detail how the “Collective Strategic Investment” pot, using 15% of the business rate growth, has benefitted every region of the capital.

The Mayor: With the agreement of the Government and alongside the London Boroughs and the City of London Corporation, I established the London Business Rates Pool for 2018-19. The main financial benefit of the pool was that London retained 100% of any growth in business rates income over and above the business rates baseline set by central government. It was agreed that 15 per cent of the additional income available from pooling would be used to establish a collective Strategic Investment Pot, used to fund strategic investment across the capital.
I approved the recommendations for projects to be funded, put forward by local authorities in September 2018, as outlined in MD2358.

Metropolitan Police Service and the private sector facial recognition technology

Siân Berry: Following up on a request made in the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee on 3 July 2019, could you confirm whether the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) planned to collaborate with private companies to use their technology for facial recognition?

The Mayor: The MPS works with experts in the field when it uses facial recognition technology. For example, the manufacturer the MPS uses for its live facial recognition technology is NEC, a private company headquartered in Japan.
The MPS will collaborate with 3rd parties where it has a lawful basis and need to do so. At present the MPS has no plans to collaborate with private companies to make use of their facial recognition technology.

Victim Right of Review

Susan Hall: For 2020/4188, could you provide updated data to to include November and further for the same period mentioned (June 2020 to Nov 2020) please provide the number of successful VRRs

The Mayor: Please see below the total Victim Right to Review (VRR) requests from June to November 2020, broken down by crime type as previously requested:
Offence
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Total
Rape
7
9
5
7
1
5
34
Other Sexual Offences
1
3
2
1
1
1
9
Homicide
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
Other
8
15
14
14
7
15
73
Total
17
27
21
22
9
21
117
The MPS report that of these 117 VRRs, 43 were assigned and ongoing.
The 74 completed VRRs are categorised as follows:
Original decision upheld
53
Case referred to CPS for charging decision
3
Further enquiries to be made before a decision can be made
7
Further evidence located. Report to reopen and further investigation required by BCU
11
These VRRs do not include CPS decisions.

999 Response Times

Caroline Pidgeon: Please provide the average Metropolitan Police response times for 999 calls categorised as i) I grade, ii) S grade iii) E grade and iv) R grade in 2020. Please provide a breakdown by i) month, and ii) borough.

The Mayor: Please see attached the requested data for the period specified.
Important note on call grading:
Immediate 'I' grade calls are calls where "the immediate presence of a police officer will have a significant impact on the outcome of an incident". This is typically categorised as where there is, or is likely to be, a danger to life, a serious threat of violence, serious damage to property or serious injury. The response time to a call of this urgency is within 15 minutes.
Significant 'S' grade calls are calls where there is a "degree of importance or urgency associated with the initial police action, but an emergency response is not required". The response time to a call of this urgency is within 60 minutes.
Extended 'E' grade calls are calls where a police attendance is required, but an emergency police response is not. The response time to a call of this urgency is within 48 hours.
Referred 'R' grade calls are calls where a police attendance is not required. Data on these calls has been included but is only for those where an officer has attended.

The Mayor: Attachments
0059_999 Response Times (1).xls

Supporting the Children's Commissioner

Tony Devenish: What specifically have you done to support the excellent work of the Children’s Commissioner?

The Mayor: Through the DfE’s Safeguarding and Young People’s board, on which the Children’s Commissioner and the Director of London’s Violence Reduction Unit VRU) sit, we share information and ideas on what support is most necessary for young people. We both have a focus on reducing exclusions and keeping vulnerable children in mainstream school. The London VRU is supporting children to remain in school through its inclusive schools programme, as well as providing extra support for pupils attending Pupil Referral Units. This is backed up by City Hall research around exclusions.
Throughout her tenure the Children’s Commissioner has powerfully championed the voices of children in the care system. In March, my officers are convening the first meeting of the London Local Authority Network for Care Leavers, which will meet regularly to share best practice and work collaboratively.
Finally, the Children’s Commissioner has prioritised youth workers, and alongside programmes such as MyEnds and the Young Londoners Fund, the VRU has funded the Rise Up Youth Practitioners Leadership Programme to support and professionalise the youth worker sector.

Potholes on TfL Roads

Tony Devenish: Please update the Assembly on all pothole statistics on TfL roads for each year from 2016 to 2021 inclusive.

The Mayor: The total number of pothole defects for each of the full years from 2016 to 2020 are below:
Year
Number of Pothole Defects
2016
3790
2017
4787
2018
6809
2019
5444
2020
7181
Total
28011

Adult Education Improvements

Tony Devenish: You have now been responsible for adult education in London since April 2019 with a total budget of £625 million. What exactly have you achieved in terms of outcomes in this vital area of skills and education?

The Mayor: The successful delegation of the Adult Education Budget (AEB) allowed me to extend full funding to Londoners earning below the London Living Wage, Deaf Londoners training for a first qualification in British Sign Language, and fully fund Level 3 qualifications for unemployed Londoners and those on low wages. I have also introduced flexibilities to upskill the further education workforce to better support Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) learners.
In the 2019/20 academic year, despite the COVID-19 enforced lockdown, there were nearly 200,000 GLA funded learners participating in my AEB programme. More detailed figures on AEB performance have been published on the GLA data store. Evaluation of the initial year of delegated AEB found that providers have increased their provision in priority areas with the most common being support for learners on low incomes, courses relevant to the priority sectors, support for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and core skills such as English and maths. Full performance figures for the 2020/21 academic year will be published in December 2022.

TfL Pension Fund

David Kurten: I was most concerned to learn on 24 December 2020 that the pension fund operated by Transport for London has placed more than £25 million with Tencent, a Chinese technology company that the UN has accused of involvement in covert surveillance and censorship on behalf of the Communist regime. Tencent is said to be aiding and abettingChina's surveillance state and strict censorship of its own citizens, using covert technology to spy on the persecuted Uighur Muslim minority in the Xinjiang province, who have been forced to pick cotton, have abortions and renounce their faith.1What have you done to investigate these allegations and if proven true, what action are you going to take to divest from Tencent?

1https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9071717/Sadiq-Khan-blasted-Transport-Londons-25million-pension-fund-Chinese-firm.html

The Mayor: I completely condemn the horrific human rights abuses against the Uighur population by the Chinese government and continue to support the UK Government and international communities' efforts to challenge the Chinese authorities.
Investment decisions by Transport for London’s pension fund are made by independent pension fund trustees and I have no control over them. Nonetheless, my Deputy Mayor for Transport and my Chief of Staff met with the chairs of the Trustee Board and the Investment Committee on 26 January and urged them to consider the fund’s position in relation to Tencent and ethical investments more widely.

Police and the Coronavirus (2)

Peter Whittle: How many Metropolitan Police officers have died from Covid-19?

The Mayor: It is with great sadness that we report that 1 Police Officer and 4 members of Police Staff have died from Covid 19/Covid 19 related causes (21/01/21).

Police Officers and PPE

Peter Whittle: Can you assure me that all police officers, police specials, police community support officers and non-police support staff are satisfactorily equipped with the necessary personal protective equipment to enable them to carry out their jobs safely?

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has assured me that there is sufficient Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for all officers and staff and that provision continues to be monitored very closely.
Officers are issued with regular guidance on where and when they should wear PPE.
It is the responsibility and judgement of individual officers to wear PPE in the specific circumstances they encounter.

TfL Consultations

Tony Devenish: Are there any TfL public consultations you are willing to now undertake a year into Covid, using online tools, rather than wait until Covid is over?

The Mayor: Consultation work resumed in September 2020 after a pause due to the pandemic. Every consultation has made use of Transport for London’s online consultation tool to allow people to respond.

Covid-19 Policing

David Kurten: Do you consider that the actions of the Metropolitan Police with respect to Covid-19 have been proportionate to its severity?

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to keep us all safe and provide a proportionate response.
The MPS approach has evolved as people become more familiar with the lock down rules. The MPS continues to apply the ‘4Es’ (Engage, Explain, Encourage and Enforce), but is moving to enforcement much more quickly for egregious breaches.
The vast majority of the public are following the rules and it is important for public confidence that the MPS moves to rapid enforcement for wilful or dangerous breaches.

My Local Bobby

Peter Whittle: I note that TM Eye, which runs ‘My Local Bobby’ has successfully prosecuted Nicholas Richards, who has more than 50 previous convictions for shoplifting, after officers from the Metropolitan Police declined to become involved, when he was observed on CCTV stealing Gucci perfume worth £170 from Boots in Piccadilly, central London. TM Eye launched My Local Bobby two years ago. Its 30 ‘bobbies’, uniformed with red vests and caps, provide cover 24/7 for up to 250 houses and businesses on each beat. It promises to have a response officer at the scene within five minutes for a fee of £100 to £200 a month per household1. Is TM Eye currently providing better value for money for Londoners than the Metropolitan Police?

1https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/11/18/shoplifter-becomes-first-thief-prosecuted-private-police-force/

The Mayor: It is important to make the distinction between those organisations with whom the MPS has a formal relationship, through the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS), and those companies such as My Local Bobby, which offer security services as an entirely private operation.
I would challenge the term “private police forces” for either category.
Those operating under the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme perform a civil enforcement function, mostly on behalf of local councils, and they are akin to council warden patrols of the past.
Those companies such as My Local Bobby are simply private security companies, neither has replaced the core functions of the police service who continue to do a fantastic job in challenging circumstances.

LLDC – Construction

Navin Shah: I appreciate that construction works continue around and on the Park. However, can you confirm the state of current delay in completion targets due to the pandemic and any cost implications arising from that?

The Mayor: At East Wick and Sweetwater, construction continued during the lockdown period, with strict social-distancing precautions in place. This led to slight programme delays for Phase 1 but completion of the works has taken place in phases with the first residents moving into their new homes in October and with phased completions through to Summer 2021. The only cost implication is a delay in receipts from sales of properties.
At Chobham Manor, construction of Phases 3 and 4 paused after Taylor Wimpey ceased construction activity immediately after lockdown in March and remobilised at the start of June with social distancing and safety measures. Construction currently continues at 80% of pre-Covid capacity. There is an approximate 3-month delay.
Construction also ceased at East Bank’s Stratford Waterfront site between March and June. LLDC put in place a double-shift pattern to support socially distancing measures and to mitigate programme delays, however the site is constrained and the number of people who can work safely has reduced due to social distancing and safety measures, causing a delay to the programme. LLDChas assumed social distancing measures will remain in place until December 2021, with a delay to openings on Stratford Waterfront. UCL will be the first partner to open in 2022.
Currently, the total forecast increase in cost at East Bank is £114.7m, taking it to a final anticipated cost of £628m. Over half of this cost increase - £63m - is related to Covid-19.

LLDC – ‘Towers of Privilege’

Navin Shah: In August 2017 referring to the future of the LLDC I asked you if you were sympathetic to the view that the LLDC’s planning powers could be handed back ahead of the planned period of 2030 to the boroughs to complement and further progress the great social and economic convergence agenda? I note that no progress has been made on this. Now I notice that the relevant East London borough leaders have called for return of powers from the Olympic Legacy corporation which I support. Is it not the time that this happens without any further delay?

The Mayor: A high-level transition approach was agreed by the LLDC Board – which includes Borough leaders - in February 2020, in which it was agreed that Town Planning powers would be transferred back to local Boroughs by the end of 2024. On 10 November 2020 I wrote to MHCLG regarding the return of these powers, so that the statutory legislative process to allow this can begin.
LLDC has been meeting regularly and working closely with Borough planning officers to develop proposals for enhanced joint working in the intervening period, ensuring that a coordinated approach to planning and infrastructure investment continues when these powers transfer. Wider planning for the eventual transition of LLDC’s responsibilities is progressing well, and an update on Transition will be presented to LLDC’s Board by March 2021.

LLDC – Park Venues

Navin Shah: Whilst I appreciate that many of the venues are currently closed, can you please indicate what recovery plans you have for gradual opening of the venues and particularly their use by local communities and stakeholders like schools?

The Mayor: Since the Covid-19 pandemic began, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park has remained open, supporting the physical and mental wellbeing of local communities.
In line with the current national lockdown, the London Aquatics Centre (LAC), Copper Box Arena (CBA) and ArcelorMittal Orbit are currently closed to the public. Under the current guidance, venues can be used for elite sport training, and this has continued for diving at the LAC, and basketball at the CBA. West Ham United’s home matches are currently being held behind closed doors at London Stadium, and we expect the British Swimming Championships (LAC) to take place in April as a non-public event if circumstances permit.
During Tier 3 restrictions, local communities were able to use the gym, health and fitness facilities at the CBA, and the gym and swimming pools at the LAC, with swimming classes available for children in the training pool. GLL – the venue’s operator – had reached out to local schools to offer school swimming lessons, but schools expressed reluctance to leave school premises. GLL continue to engage with communities online during the current lockdown period in readiness for the reopening of the venues in due course.
The London Legacy Development Corporation will continue to work with GLL on recovery plans as more information becomes available from central Government

Body worn video footage release (3)

Unmesh Desai: In an internal Met memo seen by the Guardian, it reported that footage captured by body-worn cameras recorded examples of “poor communication, a lack of patience, [and] a lack of de-escalation before use of force is introduced”. How will you work with the Met to address these issues and ensure public trust and confidence in the use of body-worn video?

The Mayor: I will continue to scrutinise the Metropolitan Police (MPS) on its use of stop and search; this includes the measures it will be implementing to action the IOPC recommendations, which the MPS has accepted in full. The Met has provided the IOPC with a detailed response to the recommendations and how they will be implemented. A copy of the MPS response can be found here:
https://policeconduct.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Documents/investigation_reports/Stop%20and%20Search%20-%20Response%20to%20IOPC%20Learning%20Recommendations.pdf
My recently published Action Plan for transparency, accountability and trust in policing focuses on enhanced scrutiny structures to ensure the police are held to account, it will also deliver improved training for officers with direct involvement from community members. The plan, coupled with the IOPC recommendations, will work towards improving the relationships between the police and Black communities and address the concerns associated with the use of stop and search.

Vexatious complaints and harassment

Tony Devenish: In relation to the below article, are you concerned that a woman is seemingly being harassed by Tower Hamlets Council based on what appears to be vexatious complaints, and that the Met have failed to investigate allegations of harassment by an anonymous source?


https://www.conservativehome.com/localgovernment/2020/10/peter-golds-the...

The Mayor: It is not my place to comment, on either the council's decisions, or the Met’s operational decisions to investigate allegations.

Outcome 21

Susan Hall: For each of the years November 2018 to October 2019 and November 2019 to October 2020, please can you provide the number of Met `outcome 21’ categorisation offences broken down by offences type? (Outcome 21: category of NFA to identify that the offender is under 18 and that in the absence of aggravating factors, criminalisation is not in the public interest. Will typically include relationships where both individuals are under 18 and who share self-generated indecent imagery with each other)

The Mayor: Please see requested information below.
Table 1: Count of all offences with outcome 21 broken down by Major Classification, recorded within 01/11/2018 - 31/10/2019.
Classification Major
Grand Total
Violence Against the Person
166
Sexual Offences
90
Theft
9
Arson and Criminal Damage
1
Drug Offences
7
Possession of Weapons
26
Public Order Offences
2
Miscellaneous Crimes Against Society
208
Grand Total
509
Table 2: Count of all offences with outcome 21 broken down by Major Classification, recorded within 01/11/2019 - 31/10/2020.
Classification Major
Grand Total
Violence Against the Person
17
Sexual Offences
44
Vehicle Offences
1
Theft
2
Arson and Criminal Damage
1
Drug Offences
24
Possession of Weapons
12
Miscellaneous Crimes Against Society
86
Grand Total
187

TfL’s failure to report cancellation of IA 16767 to Audit and Assurance Committee

Keith Prince: Following up on your partial response to Question 2021/4627 (“Discontinued Internal Audits from 1 January 2014 to present”) and your failure to respond to Question 2020/4626 (“Protocols for Undertaking or Discontinuing Internal Audits”), Agenda Item 48/10/16 in Internal Audit Quarter 1 Report 2016/17 presented to TfL’s Audit & Assurance Committee on 11 October 2016 states “it was agreed future reports include the reasons for audits cancelled and postponed”. Why doesn’t TfL’s cancellation of IA 16767 appear in any subsequent “reasons for audits cancelled and postponed” reports provided by Internal Audit to TfL’s Audit & Assurance Committee? How can you explain the apparent disappearance from the public record of a TfL Safety Audit that is directly related to a catastrophic safety incident that took place while IA 16767 was being completed?

The Mayor: Please find attached Transport for London’s Audit Manual for undertaking Internal Audits that was in place at the time of audit IA16767.

The Mayor: Attachments
4626 Attachment.pdf

ACCT NOx Emission Reduction System

Tony Devenish: What evaluation has TfL made of the potential benefits of the ACCT NOx emission reduction system?

The Mayor: The ACCT system, developed at Loughborough University, is an enhanced dosing system for Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) after-treatment systems for diesel engines.
The system allows for a high level of conversion of Adblue to ammonia at lower temperatures than is usual, thus permitting NOx reduction over a broader range of operating conditions. It also potentially reduces crystallisation of the Adblue solution which can clog injectors. Loughborough University have published promising results from their testing.
Transport for London (TfL) welcomes any measure that broadens the range of temperatures over which SCR is effective due to the potential to further reduce the emissions of NOx from diesel engines in urban and extra-urban areas.
However, TfL understands this system is not yet commercially available. When it is, it will be for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to adopt the technology on their vehicles, and for the NOx emissions reduction performance to be recognised through Type Approval and Conformity-in-Service testing. For the retrofit market, Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme (CVRAS) approval would be necessary.

Dean Street ticket hall at Crossrail Tottenham Court Road station

Caroline Pidgeon: Further to my question 2020/3268 you stated: “The investigations into the Tottenham Court Road station roof slab leaks are ongoing, and the root cause is yet to be determined. It is not possible to know the full extent of the rectification works until the root cause is established, or therefore to estimate the total costs required to rectify the issue. This will be known once investigations have concluded.”
Please clarify whether the investigations have now concluded. If they have concluded, please provide in full the information that was requested in question 2020/3268. If the investigations have not yet been completed, please state when they are expected to be completed by?

The Mayor: It has been established that the leak was caused by a breakdown of the waterproofing membrane. The contractor has undertaken the remedial works at no additional expense to the Crossrail programme. The remedial works are now nearing completion, following which Crossrail intends to hand over the completed works to the oversite developer in mid-February.

Hammersmith & Fulham Policing and Crime Commission Report 2

Tony Devenish: In the Hammersmith & Fulham Policing and Crime Commission Report, Hammersmith and Fulham Council acknowledged that the relationship between the council, police, MOPAC and residents has broken down, what are the main reasons for this?

The Mayor: I do not accept that characterisation of MOPAC’s relationship with the council, police or residents.
MOPAC continues to have positive engagement with the local authority and with the police, who sought MOPAC’s support in maintaining engagement with the local Neighbourhood Watch and Ward panels within the Borough.

Wearing of face masks on buses

Caroline Pidgeon: Since TfL began enforcement activity on 4 July 2020 on the wearing of face masks on public transport please state the enforcement action specifically taken in relation to buses, showing figures for (a) the number of people stopped, (b) prevented from boarding, (c) ejected and (d) issued with Fixed Penalty Notices?

The Mayor: Between 4 July 2020 and 17 February 2021 on London’s bus network, Transport for London (TfL) Operations Enforcement Officers have:
These numbers do not include police enforcement.

Covid-19 Fines

Tony Devenish: Please update us on the number of covid fines issued by the Met Police and TfL to date?

The Mayor: The National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) reported that between March and December 2020, 1,761 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN) were issued by the Criminal Records Office (ACRO) to individuals in the MPS area.
Between July and December 2020, TfL Enforcement Officers identified 1874 people as refusing to comply, their details were taken, and they were referred to TfL’s investigations team for final review

HS2 non-disclosure agreement

Caroline Russell: I understand that the GLA and Transport for London (TfL) have signed a non-disclosure agreement with High Speed Two limited (HS2). Can you explain the limitations of this agreement, and indicate where material that is not covered by this agreement would be published?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has a Confidentiality Agreement in place with High Speed 2 Limited (HS2), which governs the exchange of confidential information and data relating to the project.
TfL is involved in the design and delivery of numerous aspects of HS2, particularly where the project interfaces with TfL assets and operations. TfL also works with HS2 Limited and its supply chain to minimise disruption in London during construction. TfL therefore has access to confidential information provided by HS2 Limited.
TfL activity and progress on HS2 is published as part of the TfL Commissioner’s Reports and the quarterly Investment Programme Reports. There are also updates on HS2 available directly from the Government at: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/high-speed-two-limited. Further information can also be requested from HS2 Limited.

Winter snow and ice removal (1)

Caroline Russell: The Walking and Cycling Commissioner heralded a new gritter, Chris Gritty, as part of the machinery necessary to support London’s cycle network on Friday 5 February. However, it seems from reports on the ground and images from the Transport for London (TfL) traffic camera network that major new cycleways such as Cycleway 4 were left with snow and ice in place. Can you explain the frequency and level of treatment you are using on cycleways in London, and confirm which routes are covered?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) cycle lanes are treated at the same frequency as the nearby carriageway. TfL uses three cycleway mini-gritters, including Chris Gritty, which are fitted with liquid de-icer spreaders, brushes and ploughs. TfL cycle lanes can sometimes appear not to have been treated because they do not experience heavy vehicle tires turning fresh snow into slush and instead are only used by lightweight thin bicycle tires. TfL does use brushes to help with this perception issue but it is not always possible to keep them fully brushed. However, routes are always well treated for icy conditions, with the de-icer working to around -20 degrees. The liquid de-icer used is Safecote SupaMix Clear which is over 50 percent less corrosive than rock salt.

Oxford Street district

Caroline Russell: Through the pandemic, Westminster Council has made changes to widen pavements on Regent Street, ahead of work on Oxford Street, which may be similar in scope. What discussions have you had with Westminster Council about their plans for Oxford Street and, given that the opening of Crossrail should come after these works, do you consider it will make the street ready to handle anticipated future levels of visitors to the area?

The Mayor: It is clear that businesses on Oxford Street have really struggled during the coronavirus pandemic. My view remains that the full pedestrianisation of Oxford Street would transform it and secure its long-term future as an international destination alongside the opening of the Elizabeth line.
Westminster City Council (WCC) has recently launched its new Oxford Street District framework and has been discussing a temporary Regent Street-style intervention along Oxford Street, which will deliver some increases in footway space, with Transport for London (TfL). This is due to be implemented this spring and discussions are also underway on two small temporary pedestrianisation schemes on Oxford Street on either side of Oxford Circus. WCC aims to complete these projects by the end of this calendar year and TfL is involved in the assessment, including traffic signal changes and potential bus route changes.
The increase in visitors brought by the opening of the Elizabeth stations at Tottenham Court Road and Bond Street is well known and TfL will continue to work with WCC on its plans for a permanent scheme to ensure that the forecast onward journeys from Elizabeth line stations can be safely accommodated and is factored into the design approach.

Affordable homes

Shaun Bailey: How many affordable houses have you completed in each year since 2016/17 and to date?

The Mayor: Details of all housing delivery in London from 2016-17 onwards are shown in the “Affordable Housing statistics” GLA webpage:
https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/housing-and-land/increasing-housing-supply/affordable-housing-statistics

Winter snow and ice removal (3)

Caroline Russell: What are the chemicals Transport for London (TfL) is using to grit and de-ice London’s transport network, and what quantities of each chemical has been used in each of the past five winters?

The Mayor: The chemicals Transport for London (TfL) uses are rock salt for the carriageway and footways and Safecote SupaMix Clear for the cycleways. TfL does not keep records of liquid de-icer use.
TfL’s salt use in the last five years is shown in the table below.
2016-17
4339t
2017-18
10994t
2018-19
6226t
2019-20
2734t
2020-21
6695t
Total
30988t

Good growth by Design

Nicky Gavron: Will you be reviewing your ‘good growth by design’ programme in light of Covid-19, including your High Streets and Town Centres adaptive strategies report?

The Mayor: The relative quality and accessibility of the built environment, especially public space has made a big difference to Londoner’s experience of the pandemic and will play a key role in recovery. Good Growth by Design is my primary programme for promoting quality and inclusion in the built environment and is therefore an important part of recovery planning.
Alongside a diverse set of stakeholders, we have assessed the Good Growth by Design guidance in the changed context. My Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and Skills has led a series of ‘Recovery Roundtables’ with over 100 external experts including my Design Advocates, reviewing GGbD guidance on high streets, ecological urbanism, housing design, public space and children in the city.
Findings are informing recommendations to the sector and the emerging London Recovery Programme missions, notably the High Streets for All and Green New Deal missions. A key observation was the extent to which the pandemic has accelerated structural changes impacting on our high streets and town centres, reinforcing the need for these places to adapt bold new strategies in alignment with those set out in the GGbD Adaptive Strategies report.
Officers have also been reviewing the principles established through the GGbD programme alongside the tools and processes that promote quality and inclusion in recovery, including research into the capacity of the sector and refreshing our procurement framework with a focus on supporting recovery.

GLA Population Yield Calculator

Nicky Gavron: The GLA Population Yield Calculator is used for estimating the number of children and young people to be housed in estates and is particularly important for estimating the amount of space dedicated for children and young people’s pay and informal recreation. How quickly do you expect it be updated after the 2021 Census is published? Currently the calculator makes use of figures from the 2011 Census and therefore it is crucial that it is updated as soon as possible. Schools also rely on this to forecast pupil numbers in the coming years.

The Mayor: The GLA population yield calculator uses bespoke census data commissioned by the GLA for the purpose of producing the calculator. The Office for National Statistics timetable for the release of 2021 census data is not yet detailed enough to give an accurate estimate of when an update would be possible but it is likely that it will not be before 2024. We continue to work with the boroughs and stakeholders to understand their needs and to develop tools to assist them and make best use of available data.

Bus and Tube Frequency

Tony Devenish: Do you accept that the frequency of some bus and Tube services pre-7am and post-8pm may well be increased or reduced in the coming months?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) keeps bus services under review and makes changes from time to time in response to demand and other external factors.
TfL has been maintaining Tube service levels which is essential to enable customers to social distance. TfL will continue to monitor its services and make adjustments as appropriate, as it already does as a matter of course.
As outlined on page 79 in its Financial Sustainability Plan, TfL’s view is that there is currently insufficient evidence to support large-scale reshaping in service levels. In the short term, TfL and I don’t want to see a car led recovery. If changes are made now, public transport will be viewed as a less attractive option and could push people
towards car travel. In the short and medium term, public transport must be unfaltering.

The New London Plan

Nicky Gavron: After a year of delays, The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government finally approved the London Plan on Friday 29th January 2021. What will be the impact of the two directions issued 10th December 2020 for London and Londoners?

The Mayor: The direction on industrial land could result in disruption to businesses and jobs in industrial areas, as it suggests boroughs could promote the redevelopment of land in active employment use. I sought to minimise such impacts and as a result it is limited to situations where a borough would otherwise be seeking to allocate land in the Green Belt or Metropolitan Open Land and can only be done through a Local Plan. The change is to supporting text and the direction has not affected the requirements of Policies E4 – E7, which require boroughs to provide a sufficient supply of industrial land and premises within the flexible framework for intensification, co-location and substitution of industrial capacity.
The direction on tall buildings means that boroughs cannot set a definition for tall buildings that is less than 6 storeys or 18 metres high. The direction also applies the tall building policy (D9) to buildings over that height, unless there is a local definition. Many adopted and emerging local plans will already have a definition of, and have identified suitable locations for, tall buildings. Through reviews of Local Plan and other statutory documents, boroughs can ensure they are in line with the approach set out in the new London Plan.

New parks in London

Nicky Gavron: In answer to my question 2020/4490, you outlined that “there are very few opportunities to create large areas of new public open space based on traditional parks and green spaces.” CPRE London have just launched a campaign to create 10 new major parks in London, having already identified 8 sites. Are you working with others to assess the feasibility of these sites to become parks?

The Mayor: I want to improve access to green space where it is most needed, as reflected in the recent Grow Back Greener Fund, which prioritised projects in areas lacking access to open space and in areas of deprivation. Future funding through my Green New Deal Fund may provide opportunities to support the projects highlighted by CPRE.
Currently, the eight sites identified by CPRE London as potential new parks range from proposals to better connect existing green spaces, to opening up access to privately owned sites. Most of the sites face complex issues around access, ownership and management, which are predominantly a matter for the relevant London boroughs.
My Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy will be meeting with CPRE London to discuss their proposals and better understand what is needed to overcome the barriers to creating new parks at these sites.
The ambition to create new parks where possible is also supported by my new London Plan, which states that the capital’s network of green infrastructure should be protected and enhanced.

New Proposed Permitted development right, Class E to C3 Residential (1)

Nicky Gavron: Will you be doing an impact assessment of the proposals in this consultation?

The Mayor: We have seen from previous permitted development – and the Government’s own assessment - that these schemes create poor quality housing and do not provide affordable housing. These latest proposals from the Government could be significantly harmful for London, and I have serious concerns about the potential impact on the economic sustainability of the Central Activities Zone and London’s high streets and town centres.
The proposals come at the worst possible time, risking the recovery of central London from the devastating impacts of Covid-19, as well as undermining the vital role played by high streets in the lives of Londoners. Furthermore, modelling has identified that, without a mechanism to secure affordable housing, £2.8 billion value could be lost as permitted development comes forward. I have produced some further assessment of the impact of the Government’s proposed permitted development rights to convert any commercial use to residential which will be published in the coming weeks.

New Proposed Permitted development right, Class E to C3 Residential (2)

Nicky Gavron: What do stakeholders think of the proposals in this consultation?

The Mayor: We have seen from previous permitted development – and the Government’s own assessment - that these schemes create poor quality housing and do not provide affordable housing. These latest proposals from the Government could be significantly harmful for London, and I have serious concerns about the potential impact on the economic sustainability of the Central Activities Zone and London’s high streets and town centres.
The proposals come at the worst possible time, risking the recovery of central London from the devastating impacts of Covid-19, as well as undermining the vital role played by high streets in the lives of Londoners. Furthermore, modelling has identified that, without a mechanism to secure affordable housing, £2.8 billion value could be lost as permitted development comes forward. I have produced some further assessment of the impact of the Government’s proposed permitted development rights to convert any commercial use to residential which will be published in the coming weeks.

MPS/MOPAC Commissioning (2)

Steve O'Connell: Can you provide a breakdown of all MPS commissioning spending for the last 3 years?

The Mayor: The following table provides an analysis of MPS commissioning over the period requested.
MPS Commissioning (£m)
2018-19
2019-20
2020-21
Total
Other Grants
£0.1
£0.1
£0.1
£0.3
Crime Prevention Grants
£0.9
£2.6
£0.1
£3.5
Total
£1.0
£2.6
£0.2
£3.8

New Bus Route 456 Review (2)

Joanne McCartney: In respect of TfL’s 12-month review of bus route 456, will TfL make public any monitoring information it is using in a timely manner? How will residents be able to access and monitor information?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) will share the outcome of the review with local stakeholders, including residents and their representatives, within three months of the 12 month review. This is likely to be through an update on the TfL website and by email to interested parties, although other communication methods may be considered at the time.

456 Bus Stops

Joanne McCartney: What consultation has been carried out with local residents regarding the location of new bus stops among the new route 456 bus? Will you ensure that TfL works in partnership with Enfield Council and local residents to monitor their locations and to make any adjustments as needed?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has worked closely with the London Borough of Enfield (LB Enfield) to identify suitable locations for fixed bus stops to enable accessibility once the route 456 bus service is introduced.
As the Highway Authority, LB Enfield has carried out local engagement on plans to introduce bus stops. Following careful consideration of residents’ feedback, LB Enfield is now looking at options to revise the plans for some stops, while also retaining a high level of access to route 456 for local residents. Examples include Bincote Road, where plans have been adapted so that the location of new stops provides better coverage, and Clay Hill, where consideration is being given to installing bus infrastructure that would better complement the conservation area.
TfL is committed to working closely with the Council and residents to ensure the best balance is achieved for residents and bus passengers.

Housing

Andrew Boff: Will you ban unaffordable penthouses from all GLA funded schemes?

The Mayor: My Affordable Homes Programmes places strict conditions on the types of affordable housing development that are eligible for grant funding. Over half of all new homes funded through my £4 billion Affordable Homes Programme 2021-2026 will be at social rent and the remainder will be used to support new London Living Rent and shared ownership homes.
Research undertaken by the GLA shows that London needs £4.9 billion each year to deliver the number of affordable homes that London needs – including homes at social rent levels, where there is the most pressing need. Due to wholly inadequate levels of capital investment from central Government, it is necessary for developers and housing providers to cross-subsidise affordable housing through other means, including through development of homes for market sale. In these instances, the planning system will grant permission for these mixed developments only where these meet local planning requirements.

TfL Land (1)

Andrew Boff: How many homes have been started on TfL land since April 2020? Please provide a breakdown by site.

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) and its partners have started construction on two sites since April 2020. This includes 86 affordable homes at Woodside Park, and 92 homes at Dean Street above and around the new western entrance to Tottenham Court station. This brings the total number of homes built or under construction on TfL land to 1,567 homes.
With no certainty of funding beyond the end of the current financial settlement with Government which ends in March 2021, TfL is unable to commence construction on other sites. This issue has been raised with Government as part of discussions about TfL’s Financial Sustainability Plan.

TfL Land (2)

Andrew Boff: How many homes have been completed on TfL land since May 2016? Please provide a breakdown by site.

The Mayor: In total 266 homes have completed since May 2016. This comprises 86 homes at Holloway Road, and 180 homes at Aviator Place next to the A40 in Ealing. TfL has started construction on a further 1,301 homes, including 350 at Blackhorse Road in Waltham Forest with its partner Barratt London. TfL and Barratt London expect the first people to move in later this year.

Affordable housing targets

Andrew Boff: Given that you now plan to start 10,300 GLA-funded affordable homes in the financial year 2020/21, what are your targets for starting the remaining 46,740 funded homes in the financial years 2021/22 and 2022/23?

The Mayor: My team are working with partners to maximise delivery and hit this year’s target of 10,300 affordable home starts. Information related to targets for future years will be reviewed after the end of March when delivery for 2020-21 is confirmed.

Housing restarts

Andrew Boff: How many GLA-funded affordable homes started between April and September 2020 were restarts from a previous year? Please provide a breakdown of these by the financial year when the original start took place.

The Mayor: Provisional analysis indicates that my team does not expect any restarts in the current or future financial years. However, information will be finalised at the end of the financial year, when reported starts and completions will be reviewed and confirmed in line with my commitment to achieve full compliance with the ONS Code of Practice on Use of Statistics

Waking Watch Relief Fund (2)

Andrew Dismore: When do you expect the GLA to begin delivery of London’s portion of the Waking Watch Relief Fund?

The Mayor: The GLA has given in principle agreement to administer the Waking Watch Relief Fund in London, subject to a forthcoming Mayoral Decision. My team is working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to set the programme up and it is expected to open for applications in London in mid-March.

Waking Watch Relief Fund (1)

Andrew Dismore: Are there any outstanding areas of discussion between yourself and the Government regarding the delivery of London’s portion of the Waking Watch Fund?

The Mayor: The GLA has given in principle agreement to administer the Waking Watch Relief Fund in London, subject to a forthcoming Mayoral Decision. My Building Safety team is currently working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government regarding the delivery of the programme in London.

Adult Education Recovery Fund

Jennette Arnold: Your Adult Education Recovery Fund is being launched this month. A) How long before applicants are notified of successful funding? And B) when will providers receive this funding?

The Mayor: The AEB Good Work for All Fund was launched on 8 February 2021. Through the Fund, grants will be awarded to providers for the delivery of GLA AEB-funded adult education and training services, to support the London Recovery Programme in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bidders are expected to be notified of the outcome in early June with delivery commencing from 1 August 2021.

Adult Education

Jennette Arnold: Your Adult Education Budget caters for those aged 19+. Are you concerned about those Londoner’s aged 16-19 falling through the cracks of the pandemic and if so, what are you doing as Mayor to support them?

The Mayor: I want to ensure all Londoners, regardless of their age, are able to access the education and skills they need to participate in society and progress in education and work. This is even more important in light of the city’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, we do know that many young Londoners in particular continue to face great uncertainty and instability. It is becoming increasingly clear that the pandemic is having a growing impact on young people’s opportunities, mental health and wellbeing.
From City Hall, my Young Londoners Fund is making a difference for some of these young people affected by the pandemic, with over 300 projects supporting over 65,000 individuals to date.
As you will be aware, I have written to the Secretary of State for Education to highlight my concerns for young people, whatever their age happens to be. I will continue to raise these concerns with the Department for Education to ensure that London’s schools have the resources they need to ensure the best outcomes are made possible.

Adult Education Budget

Jennette Arnold: Will you be continuing to fully fund year-long level 3 qualifications for unemployed Londoners and those in low pay?

The Mayor: The Adult Education Budget flexibility to fully fund year long level 3 qualifications for unemployed Londoners and those in low pay was introduced in 2020/21 to support the London recovery in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is proposed that the flexibility is continued in 2021/22 in order to support Londoners to gain the skills they need for progression and employment.

Black curriculum

Jennette Arnold: What work is the London Curriculum doing to ensure teaching of the “Black Curriculum” is included by schools in online lessons during lockdown?

The Mayor: Officers from my Education and Youth team were pleased to join you at a meeting with Bright Futures UK to discuss their current research into the impact of children missing school due to long term illness. They discussed Bright Futures UK work and request for the Government to publish the number of children and young people who have taken time out of education because of serious illness or the threat of Coronavirus. As I said in MQ0787, the Government must do more to support our most vulnerable young people who are facing the greatest barriers to their learning. I have written to the Government with my concerns over learning loss and increased attainment gaps and urge them to commit further funding to catch-up support. I will raise your request for data on the number of children and young people out of education due to long term medical conditions with the Department for Education.

Brexit on London’s music industry (2)

Leonie Cooper: Are you lobbying the Government for changes to the current arrangements with the EU for musicians?

The Mayor: Yes. On 3 February, I wrote to the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Oliver Dowden MP, about the UK Government’s failure to come to a deal with the EU. In the letter, I confirmed my support of industry and cross-party calls for the UK and the EU to come back to the negotiating table with immediate effect to ensure a deal is done.
The UK music industry is worth £5.8 billion to the economy. Up to 80 per cent of UK musicians tour to the EU, and half of the revenue of UK orchestras’ international touring comes from EU tours. In addition, our opera houses call upon EU-based performers at short notice to cover absences.
Without an agreement on smooth travel, international touring will be prohibitive, expensive and will result in fewer cultural exchanges and tours between the UK and EU. This would be devastating for the UK’s music industry and for talent development.

Brexit on London’s music industry (1)

Leonie Cooper: The music industry has raised concerns at the impact of the Brexit deal on their work. What is the impact of the current Brexit deal going to have on London’s music scene, particularly in the context of London’s economic recovery?

The Mayor: Thetradedeal falls short of what’s best for London, the UK and our economy and ithasnottaken into accountourimportantcreativeindustries, including our £5.8bn music industry.
For example, the UK government failed to reach an agreement with the EU on visas for touring which is vital for artists to showcase their talent and plays a major role in the music industry’s economy. Up to 80 per cent of UK musicians tour to the EU, and half of the revenue of UK orchestras’ international touring comes from EU tours. In addition, our opera houses call upon EU-based performers at short notice to cover absences.
London’s music scene will play an important part in both our economic and social recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. This is why I have joined industry and cross-party calls for the UKGovernment to urgently come back to the negotiating table with the EU toensure a deal for touring is done.

Digital divide

Leonie Cooper: What programmes are in place at the GLA to support Londoners without access to a digital device or internet connection?

The Mayor: As part of the London Recovery Programme, the Digital Access Mission for all includes ‘Ensuring that every Londoner has access to good connectivity, basic digital skills and the device or support they need to be online by 2025.’ In partnership with London Councils, I have launched a Digital Exclusion Taskforce, chaired by my Chief Digital Officer, which will help allocate significant investment in digital infrastructure – connecting areas of London currently struggling with poor connectivity – and support Londoners gain important digital skills.
I have allocated £1.5 million over the next two years to work with the London Office of Technology and Innovation (LOTI) to understand fully the levels of digital exclusion across London and help Londoners access the devices and skills they need to get online.
London has also secured £41m of grant funding to boost full fibre broadband coverage in poorly served areas by connecting public sector sites located within them. The GLA’s Connected London team is coordinating with Transport for London (TfL) to deliver the funding and working closely with London’s local authorities to identify priority sites.

EWS1 changes (2)

Andrew Dismore: Recent reports state that RICS is consulting on the use of EWS1 forms, particularly where there is no cladding visible on a high-rise building. Given that London has a high proportion of the buildings affected have you been involved in any of these discussions?

The Mayor: The RICS consultation is mainly focused on property valuation and mortgages rather than fire safety. As you know, I am actively lobbying the Government for the change that is needed to resolve this situation. I wrote to the Secretary of State in September 2020 setting out five urgent steps that should be taken. I am still awaiting a response. I will continue to push for action and my team will closely monitor the RICS consultation response.

Arrest and Fine of Mayoral Candidate in London Bridge Street

David Kurten: A highly irregular incident occurred on Sunday 24th January, when City of London Police attended a political campaign recording in the Borough of Southwark. This was on London Bridge Street. According to mayoral candidate Brian Rose, he and his crew were arrested and issued penalty notices for breaching lockdown regulations. Two officers of City Police intervened as Rose began a speech to camera. On request by the officers, Rose's campaign manager produced documents that he claimed were permits from councils. Why were City of London Police operating outside their area, in the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Police, and what knowledge did the Metropolitan Police have of this operation? Additionally, do you know why City of London Police intervened to stop a legitimate political activity in the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Police in the Borough of Southwark?

The Mayor: It would be inappropriate for me to address a specific case, clearly there are legal processes in place where the facts and legality can be properly established. However, I can confirm that City of London Police officers do have the right to exercise their powers across the whole of England and Wales. Canvassing for political purposes does not bring with it any exemption to the Regulations in place to control the pandemic. I am aware that the Cabinet Office has written to all political parties providing guidance to them regarding canvassing in these challenging times.

London’s Private Housing Sector

David Kurten: In recent weeks, it has been reported by a number of newspapers and media outlets that during the Coronavirus pandemic London has lost anywhere between half a million and more than a million residents, who have returned to their countries of birth. An estimate by the Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence has warned that London’s population may have plunged by 8 per cent, the first drop in more than 30 years. If this estimate is accurate, what do you estimate the effect will be on the private housing sector?

The Mayor: There are as yet no firm estimates of population change caused by the pandemic, and as some of its impact is likely to be transitory any such estimate may not provide an accurate picture of lasting impacts.
There has been a reported fall in average advertised rents in Inner London, but this fall is likely to be a result of a combination of factors including increased supply and employment losses as well as any change in population. Again, some of these changes may also turn out to be transitory, and it is too early to say what the long-term effect on London's private housing sector will be.

Questioning of Mayoral Candidate in London Bridge Street

David Kurten: Do you know why a City of London Police officer asked a London Mayoral candidate for permits for filming on a public street within the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Police?

The Mayor: Please refer to response to 2021/0403.

Breathe London sensors in bus depots

Caroline Russell: Your announcement on 14 December 2020 stated that it was for community groups, charities and boroughs to ‘buy in’ to the Breathe London network. One of the first hotspots of concern identified in your 24 July 2019 press release was a bus garage in Holloway.
Will you require bus companies to install air pollution monitoring in bus depots given this concerning finding, the cheap cost of sensors and the potential links from air pollution exposure to worsened outcomes from coronavirus and other causes?

The Mayor: The GLA is funding 130 sensors across London, prioritising hospitals and schools, as well as at least one sensor per borough. Data will be available via a new Breathe London website, making it easier for all Londoners to access reliable, localised, real time air quality data. As an addition to the scheme and in response to demand, businesses and other groups will be also be able to buy-in to the network, at a reduced rate, thereby choosing their own sensor location. We will be reaching out to bus operators to encourage them to host a Breathe London sensor.
Transport for London (TfL) has worked with the Holloway bus operator to avoid bus idling outside this garage. The lessons learned at Holloway have been shared with other operators and bus garages across London. TfL have also cleaned up the London bus fleet, all buses in TfL's9,000-strong bus fleet now meet or exceed the cleanest Euro VI emissions standards, reducing harmful NOx emissions from buses by an average of 90 per cent.

Bus driver toilets programme completion (2)

Caroline Russell: Thank you for your answer to my question 2019/17408, in which you said that bus driver toilets still to be installed would be provided as permanent facilities by Spring 2020. I appreciate that coronavirus will have caused some delays, but can you provide a list, by route and terminus, of the current toilet availability for bus drivers on all routes previously identified as not having a toilet facility?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has provided new permanent toilets on a total of 50 priority routes since 2018. This exceeds its original target of 42 routes. TfL’s update to the Safety Security and Human Resources Panel on the 10 February included a full list of the routes. The papers are available here: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/safety-sustainability-hr.

EWS1 changes (1)

Andrew Dismore: Recent reports state that RICS is consulting on the use of EWS1 forms, particularly where there is no cladding visible on a high-rise building. Is this a reasonable action, given what we are learning from Grenfell Tower Inquiry phase 2 around flammable insulation and poor compartmentalisation?

The Mayor: The evidence being uncovered by the Grenfell Inquiry is of utmost importance and I am following the proceedings closely. It is clear that there are widespread building safety issues that go beyond cladding and external walls and these must be addressed through more Government funding and the speedy introduction of the Building Safety Bill and the Fire Safety Bill.
The purpose of the EWS1 form is to facilitate lending. It is not the equivalent of a fire safety certificate and nor is it intended to be. I wrote to the Government in September 2020 to urge greater action to unlock the housing market, including more guidance to set parameters around the use of EWS1.

Children on the Metropolitan Police Service Merlin database

Siân Berry: The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation into the stop and search of Ms Bianca Williams and Mr Ricardo Dos Santos found that their three-month-old child had been added to the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Merlin database for children known to the police. How many children are currently on this database? Please provide a breakdown by: a) age, for all age ranges captured on the database, b) ethnicity and, c) reason for being added to database?

The Mayor: The ‘Merlin’ IT application is used to record the details of those vulnerable people aged 17 and under via a Pre-Assessment Check (PAC) and for details of vulnerable adults aged 18 or over via an Adult Come to Notice (ACN). MERLIN is also used for the recording and investigation of Sudden Deaths, Unidentified Persons/bodies and other found persons.
Reports in relation to children make up around 50% of all reports recorded within the application each year and since their inception the MPS has created just under 3 million individual child safeguarding reports. There are often however several reports relating to the same child who has come to police notice sometimes frequently.
Reports are recorded on Merlin to enable safeguarding teams to assess any risks or harm to individual children based on the report and any further relevant information. These reports are often shared with partner agencies to ensure a multi-agency approach can be taken to safeguarding.
Child Safeguarding (PAC) reports created:
2020 to date
156,839
2020 Child Reports by Age:
Pre-Birth
Under 10
10-17
Not Recorded
3,106
52,536
101,129
68
2020 Reports by Ethnicity
White European
Dark European
Black
Asian
Chinese, Japanese, or other Southeast Asian
Arabic or North African
Unknown
61,510
9,015
47,924
21,082
1,345
5,925
13,786
Staff are required to record data in relation to specific enhanced concerns which is evident in some form and which will often indicate the reason for the report being created. The below displays the number of occurrences each of these have been added to a report:
CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION
CHILD CRIMINAL EXPLOITATION
MENTAL HEALTH
YOUTH VIOLENCE
DOMESTIC INCIDENT
4,114
5,371
2,313
11,974
41,033
Staff are also able to add “PAC” concern Categories to a safeguarding report to highlight specific concerns for an individual and these will also highlight why a report has been created. The following 7 categories are the most used/selected in 2020 regarding children:
GENERAL CHILD CARE/WELFARE
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
CHILD CONTACT
MISSING PERSON
VICTIM OF CRIME
NON-CRIME DOMESTIC INCIDENT
ARRESTED
81,836
24,021
17,915
15,852
13,547
10,937
10,469

Streetspace Budget

Shaun Bailey: How much of the Streetspace budget have you spent and how much remains?

The Mayor: Of the £85m funding allocated to the London Streetspace programme in 2020-21, £65m has been spent, and Transport for London (TfL) is forecasting to spend £71m by the end of the financial year. In line with agreement with the Department for Transport, TfL will carry forward any underspend from the £20m Active Travel fund into 2021-22.

Devolved AEB

Susan Hall: How has the devolved Adult Education Budget (AEB) made London adult learning provision more accessible & flexible? What is the evidence that disadvantaged Londoners have benefitted & in which boroughs?

The Mayor: With the delegation of the AEB, I have made changes to ensure adult education is more accessible for disadvantaged Londoners whilst maintaining the stability of the sector in this period of transition. This has included extending full funding of training to those learners in work and earning less than the London Living Wage and has already seen a significant uptake in adult education from those in employment and led to delivery of new evening classes.
This year I have also introduced flexibilities that allow AEB grant funded providers to use their budgets with more freedom and design training to respond to local skills needs by offering pre-employment, job-focused training focused on supporting those Londoners most at risk of long-term unemployment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope to show the impact of this flexibility with publication of the data for this academic year in December 2022. Data on AEB performance is published on the London Datastore.

Early Years Hubs

Susan Hall: How has your continued funding for Early Years Hubs in London assisted the most disadvantaged families to obtain improved access, affordability & quality of early years’ provision?

The Mayor: My three Early Years Hubs were established in January 2018 in Barnet, Newham and Wandsworth and Merton. They brought together local partners to improve the quality of early years provision and take up of free early education amongst the most disadvantaged two-year-olds. They also sought to improve early education as a career choice and support local parents into employment.
The hubs’ funded activity came to an end in December 2020, when they had collectively supported 500 early years providers and over 3,000 practitioners. This support will have a real impact on local families, from improving the quality of early years provision on offer, to providing access to key skills and training opportunities for parents.
We know that some hub activities, particularly around improving take-up of early education, were adversely affected by Covid-19; however, all three hubs adapted their work and continued to provide much needed local support throughout the crisis.

Adult Education Budget (AEB) (1)

Susan Hall: Please demonstrate how you have managed to ensure that the devolved Adult Education Budget (AEB) has become adept at meeting the needs of Londoners attempting to improve their skills?

The Mayor: In my Skills for Londoners Strategy, I set out my plans for London’s skills system to have evaluation and evidence at its heart. As part of this approach, I commissioned an independent evaluation of the first year of delegated Adult Education Budget in London. The report found that the impact of delegation on provision was positive, despite only being in its first year and being impacted by the COVID-19 lockdown.
Many AEB providers reported they had increased their provision in priority areas with the most common being support for learners on low incomes, courses relevant to the priority sectors, support for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) learners and core skills such as English and maths.
I also launched support funding at the start of the pandemic, enabling providers to purchase equipment and/or train staff so Londoners could still access learning during periods of classroom closure. My Learner Survey launching at Easter will also be used to measure outcomes.

Adult Education Budget (AEB) (2)

Susan Hall: Please detail how the AEB has been delivering flexible, inclusive & integrated skills & training provision for Londoners

The Mayor: The majority of provision funded by the Adult Education Budget (AEB) is targeted at meeting the needs of Londoners with low skills, the unemployed and those in low paid work. Often people in these groups have multiple and diverse needs. I have introduced a number of flexibilities to ensure AEB providers can be even more inclusive and flexible, ensuring Londoners who most need support are able to access learning opportunities. This has included fully funding courses for Londoners in low-paid work, enabling Deaf Londoners to access free British Sign Language provision, and introducing flexibilities to upskill the Further Education (FE) workforce to better support Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) learners and deliver provision online.
Through AEB delegation, I have been able to unlock an additional £70 million of European Social Funding and design news skills, employment and youth programmes that link skills providers with employers, civil society and other support services.

Flexible Support Funds (2)

Susan Hall: In which boroughs have disadvantaged Londoners benefitted from the Government’s better use of Flexible Support Funds?

The Mayor: The Flexible Support Fund (FSF) is a Government fund controlled by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
All parts of London are able to benefit from the Government’s FSF. Government officers have informed us that, since the outbreak of COVID-19, the DWP has procured 150 Flexible Support Contracts across London, supporting a wide range of groups.
My officers are actively liaising with DWP to identify ways for the DWP’s FSF to be used as effectively as possible, particularly to support London’s recovery. The London Recovery Programme, of which London Councils and boroughs are key partners, will continue to inform our discussions with DWP on how best to utilise its FSF.

Local first” approach

Susan Hall: How has your support for London Councils calling for a “local first” approach improved Londoners’ skills?

The Mayor: As Mayor, I have strongly endorsed a locally led and devolved skills and employment support system. Although I continue to lobby the Government for greater powers and more funding to achieve this, local actors have already made a significant difference in helping more Londoners access training and job support that boosts their skills and employment prospects.
I have worked with sub-regional partnerships (SRPs) and other partners to promote participation in adult learning and job support, linked to the delegated Adult Education Budget and Mayoral programmes. SRPs have achieved consistently high referral volumes for the devolved Work and Health Programme and surveys by London Councils also show that half of London boroughs are engaging in co-location with Jobcentre Plus. The vast majority are playing an active role in promoting multi-agency collaboration and bringing employers and skills providers closer together.
The London Recovery Programme is further supporting local leadership and integration.

Maths for Londoners

Susan Hall: How have you increased the participation & progression outcome in the provision of maths for Londoners?

The Mayor: From the 2020/21 academic year I have introduced a £2.7m funding uplift through the Adult Education Budget for all fully funded maths and English qualifications at Levels 1 and 2. The uplift will mean a 10% increase in the total spend by grant-funded providers on English and maths legal entitlement qualifications at Levels 1 and2. This additional funding is in line with my commitment to drive up maths and English participation and achievement rates.
Innovative and effective English and maths provision is also a priority that is being supported through the Skills for Londoners Innovation Fund. Two of the successful projects involve innovative approaches to boosting English and maths participation, achievement and progression-related outcomes.
To support this policy change, I have also commissioned research, reporting later this year, to identify best practice in delivering basic English and maths qualifications to support providers to boost participation, retention and achievement rates.

Digital Skills Entitlement for Londoners

Susan Hall: How successful has your provision of a digital skills entitlement for Londoners been? Is there evidence that Londoners of all ages have benefitted?

The Mayor: The Adult Education Budget, devolved to the GLA in 2019, enables Londoners over the age of 19 years with no to low digital skills to access fully funded training through the Essential Digital Skills Entitlement (EDSE). This allows learners to gain entry and Level 1 digital skills vital for work and life. The EDSE was introduced in September 2020 and the first tranche of data on its impact will be published in Summer 2021.
The EDSE is available to all adults aged 19 years or older. As part of the Mayor’s Digital Access for All recovery programme, the GLA will launch an awareness raising campaign for the EDSE. Working with partners across the voluntary sector, businesses and boroughs, we will ensure that adult Londoners of all ages have access to the digital skills training they need.

Adult Education Budget (AEB) (3)

Susan Hall: How has the AEB’s prioritisation of need improved progressive outcomes, employability & enterprise & skills for Londoners?

The Mayor: I have prioritised the needs of Londoners by increasing the funding from the AEB going to Londoners on low incomes and those who face significant barriers such as English as a Second Language (ESOL). According to the independent evaluation of the AEB for 2019/20, this has resulted in providers focusing more of their provision on support for learners with low incomes, employability courses relevant to the GLA’s priority sectors and support for ESOL learners.
Overall these changes have resulted in more support being available for employability in priority sectors as well as general employability, enterprise and skills support for those Londoners who need it most. In future years, the London Learner Survey that I am currently developing will provide more accurate data to measure all types of outcomes.

ESOL for Londoners

Susan Hall: How has your identification of new & more diverse sources of investment & innovative approaches to ESOL increased the participation & progression outcomes in the provision of English for Londoners?

The Mayor: Since delegation of the Adult Education Budget (AEB) in September 2019 I have extended eligibility for AEB-funded courses to learners in low-paid work; data for the academic year 19/20 will soon be available to evaluate the impact of this policy. I have also increased the amount of funding available for provision at Level 2 and below by 10% from September 2021, which includes most AEB-funded ESOL provision. These measures seek to increase participation and progression for ESOL learners.
I have invested £4.5m of European Social Funding to improve the quality of ESOL provision. To test innovative approaches, I have invested over £300k in three ESOL Plus pilot programmes and I am funding 17 projects delivering ESOL through my £7.3 million Skills for Londoners Innovation Fund.
My £11m Skills for Londoners COVID-19 Response fund has helped providers support participation of ESOL learners during the pandemic, especially those facing digital exclusion.

Domestic abuse social media campaign spending

Unmesh Desai: Please advise how much has been spent on Domestic Abuse social media campaigns by a) the mayor and/or MOPAC and b) the Met in each of the last 4 years. If possible, please also advise the dates these campaigns ran and short descriptions of what they were and who they targeted.

The Mayor: Tackling violence against women and girls has been a key priority throughout my Mayoralty, this is evidenced by the record £59m investment I have made in the sector.
The Greater London Authority spent £1,500 on social media advertising to drive awareness of domestic abuse and domestic violence and promote access to support services between 1 May and 1 June 2020. The advert was targeted to women aged 18-65+ in Greater London. The advert featured a video of London’s Victims’ Commissioner, Claire Waxman, detailing different ways to access help if you do not feel safe at your home during lockdown. The advert drove traffic to the National Domestic Abuse Helpline website https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/.
In addition to specific campaigns I and other representatives across city hall, including my Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, use our social media platforms to bring attention to important issues, including domestic abuse.
The MPS have spent £350 on Domestic Abuse Social Media campaigns in the last four years. This was for a film produced to support a wider in-house campaign which began in October 2020 and is ongoing. The target audience is all Londoners. The aims of the campaign are to encourage Londoners to have conversations about Domestic Abuse, to learn to recognise the signs of Domestic Abuse and to encourage third parties to report Domestic Abuse.

Waking Watch Relief Fund (1)

Andrew Dismore: Do you anticipate the Government’s Waking Watch Relief Fund will reduce the workload of LFB?

The Mayor: It is London Fire Brigade’s understanding that the Government’s Waking Watch Fund will not cover all the buildings in need of remediation as the scope of the fund and logistical details have not yet been established. Once automatic fire detection and warning systems have been installed in affected buildings there may be some reduction in the frequency of visits needed by London Fire Brigade (LFB). Until full remediation is achieved, visits from LFB will continue to be needed to help ensure interim measures are in place and are being managed appropriately.

Delicensing fund for taxis

Caroline Pidgeon: How much of the £42 million delicensing fund to encourage the update of zero-emission capable taxis has been allocated? Please also state the current number of applications that TfL has not yet processed?

The Mayor: The £42 million re-structured delicensing fund was established to support the taxi industry's uptake of cleaner vehicles.
This funding supports thedelicensing scheme, theQ-Parks scheme, theLiquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) conversion schemeandancillary costs involved with running these schemes.
As of 10/02/21, a total of £2.3mof the delicensing schemeremains available.
There are282 delicensing applications that have not yet been processed. As there are a limited number of delicensing payments available, new applications will only be processed when an existing delicensing application is discontinued.

London Overground services on Boxing Day

Caroline Pidgeon: Despite a TfL press release on the 18 March 2016 referring to the London Overground stating that “Under the new concession, customers on some routes will benefit from extended operating hours, and new services will be introduced on some routes on Boxing Day”, at present TfL’s website is stating that the London Overground will not operate this year on Boxing Day on the following routes:
Richmond and Willesden Junction



Gospel Oakand Stratford



Highbury & Islingtonand Dalston Junction



Sydenham and Crystal Palace



Surrey Quays and New Cross



Surrey Quays and Clapham Junction



Gospel Oak and Barking



Liverpool Street and Enfield Town/Cheshunt/Chingford



Euston and Watford Junction



Romfordand Upminster
Please set out the reasons why on each section of the London Overground a Boxing Day service will not be operating this year?

The Mayor: Transport for London’s (TfL) contract with Arriva Rail London (ARL) for the London Overground includes a requirement to operate Boxing Day services on the East London line and the North London line only. These lines were prioritised for a Boxing Day service because they serve key shopping centres at White City and Stratford and provide numerous connections to the wider London Underground network. Boxing Day services commenced in 2019 as contracted and, in 2020, a reduced service operated on the East London line and part of the North London line, due to closures needed by Network Rail for engineering works. TfL will monitor the level of demand for the Boxing Day Overground services and will consider extending the Boxing Day service to other Overground routes in future if this is deemed to be feasible, affordable and value for money.

Police Officers (3)

Shaun Bailey: What is the cost of a full-time police officer, and for a police constable?

The Mayor: Please see below officer pay averages (MPS Officer / PC) for 2020/21.
These are based on cost and strength data (Nov’20) and include the effect of the 2020/21 pay settlement.
2020/21
MPS Officer
PC
Average cost PA (£)
Average cost PA (£)
Basic pay
38,374
35,108
Pension
12,687
11,680
ERNIC
5,215
4,742
Accommodation Allowance
3,422
3,374
London Weighting
2,568
2,568
London Allowance
1,011
1,011
Unsocial hours
949
885
On-cost per officer for training, equipment, kit
5,805
5,805
Total
70,031
65,173

City Hall holds Met & justice partners to account

Susan Hall: The above referenced press release, dated 27.06.16, advised that regular public meetings were to be held going forward, so that the MPS & criminal justice partners would be held to account; additionally to ensure that everything possible was being done to meet one of your key priorities and objectives i.e. to keep Londoners safe.

Can you therefore please advise me as to whether the public meetings have:

- taken place on a regular basis since 2016?
- so far contributed to assisting in keeping Londoners safe? If so how do you measure this?
- helped to improve services for victims of crime? Please provide examples.
- have improved trust & confidence between the police and the communities they serve? Please provide examples.
- managed to shape the future of the Met & Criminal Justice System, thereby reassuring Londoners that police on the streets are out there to protect them & reduce the impact of crime on them? Please provide examples.

The Mayor: The first public meeting was held on 28th September 2016 and, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, were regular features of MOPACs approach to holding the MPS and criminal justice partners to account.
Further information about these meetings and their outcomes can be found at https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/mayors-office-policing-and-crime-mopac/governance-and-decision-making/our-public-scrutiny-meetings#acc-i-42788

MPS Job Titles

Susan Hall: For the MPS, how many job roles have at least one of the words, equality, diversity or inclusion in the job title broken down by pay grade?

The Mayor: The table below shows the number of Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) employees who have the words ‘equality, diversity or inclusion’ in their job title broken down by pay grade:
Rank/Band
Number
Broadband 3
1
Band A
1
Band B
4
Band C
13
Band D
2
Band E
3
Band S
1
Chief Superintendent
2
Chief Inspector
1
Inspector
5
Sergeant
5
Constable
4
Grand Total
42

Decentralised Energy Enabling Project

Susan Hall: As a component of your 2018 £34m Energy Scheme for Londoners, what is the success to date, of the £35m Decentralised Energy Enabling Project in making London cleaner & smarter? Please provide evidence.

The Mayor: The Decentralised Energy Enabling Project (DEEP) provided £3.5m of public sector intervention to 19 organisations, supporting 44 clean and smart decentralised energy projects in London.. To date DEEP has successfully saved 880 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year from low carbon heat networks operating in Barking and Sutton. Through my support for low carbon heating, London boroughs and private sector projects secured £25 million of investment funding from government to connect more homes to London’s growing clean heat networks.
DEEP has been superseded by the Local Energy Accelerator (LEA). Launched in November 2020, LEA is a major multi-million pound programme to extend and expand my support for clean, local and smart energy.

Covid Fines (2)

Leonie Cooper: How many fines have issued by police in Merton for breaking lockdown regulations and have any £10k fines been given out?

The Mayor: Please refer to the response to 2021/0839

Violence Reduction Unit Mentoring programme

Unmesh Desai: Please provide a breakdown of how many children at Pupil Referrals Units in each of the 30 boroughs will receive mentoring as part of the Violence Reduction Unit’s project.

The Mayor: The recently launched VRU PRU Support Programme (£2.4M) includes £840K for mentoring support for PRUs across all 32 London boroughs. Boroughs have been offered funding to provide the most appropriate type of mentoring that will best meet the needs of their pupils who are at risk of disengaging with their education or getting involved in violence; of which 29 local authorities have applied for and are running this programme on their borough.
Based on the information provided by the PRU’s in the project proposals, I can confirm that 1928 young people and families will be receiving support through a variety of mentoring models. A detailed borough breakdown is provided as an appendix, with delivery dependent on Covid-19 restrictions within PRU’s.

Attachments: A breakdown of the number of children at Pupil Referrals Units in London who are receiving mentoring as part of the Violence Reduction Unit’s project.

The Mayor: Attachments
Attachment 2021 0843.pdf

Immigration enforcement hotline

Unmesh Desai: How many reports has the Met made to the Crimestoppers Immigration enforcement hotline in each of the last 4 years?

The Mayor: CrimeStoppers is an independent charity which operates separately from the police. Crime Stoppers allows members of the public to report matters of concern to them directly and anonymously. The MPS does not make referrals to CrimeStoppers.

Skills for Londoners Strategy (2)

Susan Hall: Following on from your press release announcing your £25m investment to help build the workforce for London’s future on 07/02/18, please provide details of how your Skills for Londoners Strategy is currently meeting one of your key priorities i.e. to meet the needs of London’s economy and employers and how it will continue to do so in the future.

The Mayor: I have established both the SfL Board and SfL Business Partnership to help ensure my skills & employment programmes reflect the needs of business, employers and other stakeholders.
This board leads on distributing SfL capital funds which have helped to improve London’s FE sector by providing industry relevant facilities that are accessible for learners.
My skills & employment programmes are directly supporting London’s economy and employers; over 3,000 Londoners have been supported into employment across my Construction Academy Hub areas; my Digital Talent Programme has supported over 250 SMEs and 3,000 young people; and my apprenticeships programme has raised over £3.5m to support opportunities for London’s employers.
In 2020, I appointed the SfL Board as London’s Skills Advisory Panel and they will publish an annual report on skills provision and industry requirements in the capital by April 2021.
In February 2021 I launched a grant award process to specifically support London’s skills providers to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

National Command and Control Unit immigration calls

Unmesh Desai: How many calls to the National Command and Control Unit has the Met made in each of the last four years? If possible, please provide the reason for the call i.e. to report an immigration offender.

The Mayor: The MPS does not collate information on calls made to the National Command and Control Unit.

Illegal gatherings

Unmesh Desai: How many illegal gatherings in breach of coronavirus legislation have the Met broken up in each month since March 2020?

The Mayor: The Met recording systems do not allow the extraction of data showing all Covid related gatherings which have been broken up.
The COVID-19 Dashboard published on the MPS website (https://www.met.police.uk/sd/stats-and-data/met/covid-19-dashboard/) includes information related to fixed penalty notices (FPNs) sent for approval and the reasons for these FPNs to be issued. These include those given to individuals for participating in or holding a gathering.

Young Londoners' Fund (3)

Susan Hall: Since the launch of your £45m Young Londoners Fund in 2018, please detail how the fund has helped to provide services supporting and helping young people in London to develop, particularly those left behind or marginalised. How has the fund protected & helped children and young adults to avoid being drawn into a life of crime?

The Mayor: Since 2018, the Young Londoners Fund has supported over 65,000 young people identified as at risk of exclusion or involvement in crime, or those involved in crime. As part of the programme, those young people who have been left behind and marginalised are targeted and provided with support and opportunities to reach their potential.
An example of this is the work being delivered by New Horizon. This project is providing a holistic intensive programme delivered across custody and the community, addressing the needs of young people at risk, involved in and impacted by gangs and serious youth violence. The project addresses the underlying and unmet mental health needs of this group, whilst providing support on practical issues like housing and employment in order to prevent engagement in crime. A list of projects funded by the Young Londoners Fund can be found at https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/young-londoners-fund-projects

Young Londoners' Fund (2)

Susan Hall: Further to the launch of your £45m Young Londoners Fund in 2018, could you please outline how disadvantaged & vulnerable young people in London – particularly those at risk of being caught up in crime – have benefitted.

The Mayor: So far, over 65,000 young Londoners have participated in Young Londoners Fund (YLF) projects. These benefit disadvantaged and vulnerable 10 to 21 year olds in a wide range of ways: from improving mental health (for example, Harrow Association for Somali Voluntary Organisation’s Youth Quake mentoring project), increasing young people’s physical health and well-being (for example, Football Beyond Borders’ The Positive Choice, Different Paths project), to gaining work-related learning skills and raising young people’s confidence in accessing employment (for example, Team London’s Headstart Action programme).
All YLF Round 1 and 2 projects have been supported to gain Project Oracle Standard 1 evaluation validation which gives them the tools to measure the impact of their projects. A detailed meta-evaluation of the YLF programme has been commissioned which will provide further information about the benefits to participants.

Young Londoners' Fund (1)

Susan Hall: Further to your press release dated 13/02/18 entitled “Mayor announces a brand new £45m fund to help young Londoners”, could you detail how sport, culture, citizenship, environment, education & volunteering have since been central to successful bids, as advised in your press release?

The Mayor: Across Round 1 and Round 2 of the Young Londoners Fund there were a total of 214 successful applications. Of the funded projects, 57 per cent identify education and skills development as a core activity, 30 per cent arts and culture, 20 per cent sport or physical activity, 11 per cent citizenship and 6 per cent volunteering. Many projects use a combination of activities, providing both diversion and personal support to vulnerable young Londoners. For example, Newham All Star Sports Academy’s ‘Carry a Basketball Not a Blade’ project uses basketball to engage young people and facilitates links with staff at London’s Air Ambulance Service to educate young people on the realities of knife crime. The Young Londoners Fund had lower numbers of bids that focused on environmental awareness and improvement with seven funded projects including this within their activities. A list of funded projects can be found at: https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/young-londoners-fund-projects.

Knife Crime Prevention Orders

Steve O'Connell: Since 6th April, how many Knife Crime Prevention Orders have issued by the MPS?

The Mayor: The commencement of Knife Crime Prevention Orders (KCPOs) has been paused by the Home Office due to the COVID-19 crisis. This is being reviewed regularly by them so that the pilot can be commenced when appropriate.

Motoring fines and postal delays

Steve O'Connell: What consideration has the MPS taken of the issuing of fines for motorists by post in regard to the recent issues with Royal Mail deliveries? Have any fines been cancelled, if so, how many?

The Mayor: The current situation with reduced Royal Mail staff may delay delivery of post but the timescales allowed for people to reply are such that no cases have had to be cancelled due to late delivery.
Met Prosecutions Traffic have an arrangement with Royal Mail that their post is treated as Business Mail; this means that it is collected from their premises each evening and taken to the Medway sorting office. Checks are made each year by sending letters to nominated addresses to ensure that Royal Mail adhere to the arrangement and on all occassions post has been received the next day.

Doorstep thefts

Steve O'Connell: For each year 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, how many doorstep thefts of packages were recorded by the MPS?

The Mayor: We are not able to answer this question. There is no unique code on the Crime Recording System that records doorstep thefts of packages.

PM2.5 and the Environment Bill (2)

Leonie Cooper: How will setting targets on PM2.5 help the Government to reach the 68% reduction in annual carbon emissions by 2030 that it committed to ahead of the COP26 talks later this year?

The Mayor: Improving air quality also offers an opportunity to address the climate emergency. A high proportion of existing PM2.5 emissions are from combustion sources, the majority of which are from fossil fuels, meaning more ambitious targets for PM2.5 can also help to tackle carbon emissions. This is why my Environment Strategy includes the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for PM2.5 and sets out a number of strategies that will help meet this target and substantially reduce the use of fossil fuels in transport, commercial and industrial settings.
In its first ten months (before the pandemic), the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) helped reduce PM2.5 emissions in central London by 27 per cent and is estimated to have reduced CO2 emissions by 12,300 tonnes (6 per cent) compared to a scenario where there was no ULEZ. This highlights the co-benefits of taking action to reduce these pollutants

Independent Custody Visitors (5)

Caroline Pidgeon: What preparatory work is being undertaken within MOPAC and the Met to ensure in-person ICV visits can take place again as soon as it is safe to do so?

The Mayor: It is vital that Independent Custody Visitors (ICVs) are able to conduct their role safely. In response to the pandemic, MOPAC officers have worked with ICVs and with the Met Police to put in place new procedures to maintain oversight of detainee welfare, including developing virtual visiting processes. To facilitate continued visiting for those who have opted to do so throughout the pandemic and a future return to physical visiting across the Scheme, all ICVs have been offered a COVID risk assessment and the police have ensured that appropriate personal protective equipment is provided to ICVs within custody suites. These arrangements are kept under review by MOPAC officers and Met Detention, and further advice has been sought from health and justice professionals to ensure they remain in line with best practice.

Independent Custody Visitors (4)

Caroline Pidgeon: Will MOPAC and the Met work to improve communications with ICVs, especially on important information such as custody suites that may be closed?

The Mayor: Independent Custody Visitors (ICVs) provide an important function in ensuring detainee welfare, rights and entitlements are met by the Met Police. MOPAC officers are in regular contact with Met Detention, who will advise MOPAC and ICVs directly in cases of planned closures. There may be occasions when unplanned closures are necessary and that may lead to delays in notification. MOPAC officers will continue to work with Met Detention to maintain an effective service to ICVs.

Independent Custody Visitors (1)

Caroline Pidgeon: There are concerns over the way the Independent Custody Visitors scheme is being managed in certain parts of London. Given the understandable challenges the pandemic has presented, is MOPAC actively engaging and listening to feedback from ICV Panels across the capital to ensure the scheme can continue to run as effectively as possible during this period?

The Mayor: MOPAC officers are in regular contact with Independent Custody Visitors through both formal and informal communications and meetings. Feedback is welcomed and acted upon when reasonably practicable and appropriate in the circumstances and context of a Pan-London Scheme, which needs to maintain consistency across areas.

Tackling Vaccine Fraud

Caroline Pidgeon: How are you working with the Met, the NHS in London and others to tackle the concerning issue of vaccine fraud, including the offering of false appointments to steal personal and financial information?

The Mayor: The latest National data indicates Vaccine related frauds have increased but remain a very small proportion of overall fraud.
A joint MPS/City of London Police unit has conducted 29 search warrants resulting in 12 arrests, 7 charges and 15 ongoing investigations linked to fake covid grants or vaccine messages. The MPS has created and publicised a short video on how to avoid becoming a victim of vaccine fraud. https://news.met.police.uk/videos/vaccine-fraud-information-video-111068
City Hall is working with the NHS and other pan-London partners to ensure that Londoners have the information they need to avoid scams and fraud. The NHS have reinforced messages that they will never ask for bank details to register for the vaccine, nor is any payment required. City Hall amplifies these lines through its vaccine communications, for example on the GLA website and in public correspondence.

Independent Custody Visitors (3)

Caroline Pidgeon: I have been made aware that concerns have been raised regarding the reliability of the ICV database software, including that it regularly times out in the middle of ICVs submitting their reports and that the necessary information needed is often not stored on the system. Is MOPAC working with the Met and getting feedback from ICVs to look at the way the ICV database works with the aim of improving it?

The Mayor: The ICV database is a bespoke system for the collation of visit reports that was introduced to replace an impractical paper-based system. The system is kept under review and user feedback is collated and considered as part of the overall maintenance of the system.

Independent Custody Visitors (2)

Caroline Pidgeon: Are there any dedicated staff within MOPAC dealing with ICVs and queries and engagement with ICVs and ICV Panels?

The Mayor: Independent Custody Visitors (ICV) form a vital part of MOPAC’s oversight of Met Police custody. In total, seven MOPAC officers work to ensure delivery of the ICV Scheme. This includes two full-time dedicated staff whose sole role is to support the Scheme.

Using ‘Bait Bikes’ to Tackle Increasing Bicycle Thefts

Caroline Pidgeon: I am aware that over the last ten years the Met Police has periodically tried using the tactic of ‘bait bikes’ to catch bicycle thieves and infiltrate theft networks. Alongside an increase in cycling, we are now seeing an increase in cycle thefts. What is the Met doing to reduce bike theft, and will you look at tactics used by other forces such as Lancashire and Hampshire Police where they have used ‘bait bikes’ as a tool?

The Mayor: Bicycle theft is investigated locally by BCUs, with a range of both proactive and reactive tactics. This may include the use of decoy bicycles (bait bikes) where it is deemed an appropriate tactic. The MPS is fully engaged with the national cycle working group which includes representation from police forces and cycle partners from across the UK, where we seek and share best practice to reduce cycle crime. This includes working with Secured by Design on promoting the use of approved bike locks.
BCUS are also supported by Designing Out Crime Officers (DOCOs) who work with developers to ensure that new housing developments are designed with safety and security in mind, including secure bike storage within buildings which meet minimum specifications. This team also work with local authorities to provide advice on secure bike storage in existing locations for local residents and commuters.

Police Estate Disposals

Caroline Pidgeon: On 11 December the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime told me that said she would have a list of police estate disposals for the next financial year (2021-22) “prepared by February.” Please can you update me on the progress with this work?

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has worked up a list of sites which are expected to be surplus to operational need and available for disposal during 2021/22. Subject to the MPS governance to finalise this selection of sites I anticipate being able to consider the request to dispose of these sites in March. The formal approval to dispose of sites will be published on the MOPAC website.

Increasing Online Literacy Skills, particularly around Online Hate

Caroline Pidgeon: What provision are you making in your Adult Education Budget for the improvement of online literacy skills – crucially, empowering people to use a wide range of online platforms and teaching key skills including how to report hate online?

The Mayor: Since September 2020, the delegated Adult Education Budget (AEB) has enabled Londoners aged 19+ with no to low digital skills to access fully funded training through the Essential Digital Skills Entitlement (EDSE).
Prior to that, I used part of the AEB to launch a £6.4 million Skills for Londoners (SfL) Innovation Fund to support priority skills in London, including improving digital skills and access for Londoners facing digital exclusion.
In addition, in May 2020, the GLA launched a £9m Skills for Londoners COVID-19 Response Fund supporting adult learners to access online learning by providing devices and digital skills support.
We have also set up a Skills and Employment Hub, collating learning resources for Londoners during the pandemic, including digital skills training that includes a focus on how to recognise and avoid online harm.

Hammersmith and Fulham Bridge

Leonie Cooper: Could the Mayor give me an update on Hammersmith and Fulham Bridge repairs?

The Mayor: Transport for London’s (TfL’s) contractors are currently blast cleaning the bridge pedestals following removal of the pedestal casings. This will allow for detailed inspections in March, which will inform the next stages of works. While TfL has developed detailed plans for how these next stages could be done, Government funding must first be secured to progress the works.
TfL is also currently in the process of appointing a contractor to design and operate a new temporary ferry service across the river to restore this important walking and cycling link. TfL expects to announce the winning bidder in mid-March.

A24

Leonie Cooper: Is the recent Judgement on Streetspace leading you to reassess the A24 scheme?

The Mayor: I am disappointed by the judgment in the Streetspace case and Transport for London (TfL) is seeking permission to appeal it. The challenge was against the A10 Bishopsgate scheme and TfL’s interim Streetspace guidance to boroughs. No findings were made about the lawfulness of other schemes, which can remain in place as appropriate.
The Cycleway 7 scheme, which runs along the A24, is a popular and busy cycle route, offers an active travel alternative to the Northern Line, and is particularly important during the ongoing pandemic. The temporary changes TfL has implemented have been put in place to improve safety and the overall experience of people cycling along this busy corridor and they will be kept under ongoing review

Disabled Access

Leonie Cooper: Can you update me on disabled access improvements for all London Underground stations in Merton and Wandsworth?

The Mayor: Work continues to make Wimbledon Park step free, with completion expected later this year after installation and testing of the new lift. In addition, the new Battersea Power Station terminus will be fully accessible when the Northern Line Extension opens later this year. Investigations continue to identify potential funding sources to make other stations step-free, including seeking contributions from third party organisations when development opportunities arise.

Brexit and Policing – European Investigation orders

Unmesh Desai: How many European Investigation Orders did the Met make in each of the last 4 years? What was the average time by which the evidence requested was provided?

The Mayor: Requests for European Investigation Orders and Letter rogatories are made by investigating officers and passed to the CPS who formally draft the documents. They are then sent to the prosecuting authorities in the relevant countries. The results are, in turn, relayed back to the CPS. As such, the MPS do not hold a central record of these outgoing requests.
This information is held by the CPS.

Fuel poor Families in London

Leonie Cooper: National Energy Action haverecently highlighted increasing numbers of families falling into fuel poverty due to the impact of lockdowns. What research are you undertaking on the rising incidence of fuel poor families in London?

The Mayor: One in nine households in London are in fuel poverty, which is why my Energy for Londoners programme is helping to make London’s homes warm, healthy and affordable. The research carried out for my Fuel Poverty Action Plan is still relevant and I have been focussed on delivering on this plan and tackling the problem. I work with stakeholders across London, including the Fuel Poverty Partnership, to take into account new information and its implications for fuel poverty in London.
My Warmer Homes Advice Service has continued to support Londoners in or at risk of fuel poverty and has seen a 20% increase in demand compared to last year. They have continued to deliver telephone advice and have substituted virtual home energy visits for physical ones during the pandemic. Given the likely impact of the pandemic and economic downturn on fuel poverty, I have recently allocated an additional £100,000 of funding for this service through MD2748. My funding has leveraged yet more additional funding by the boroughs delivering the Advice Service. My London Building Stock Model can also be used by boroughs to target action on fuel poverty where it is most needed as it identifies homes with poor energy efficiency.

Brexit on London’s pubs (1)

Leonie Cooper: What is the impact of the current Brexit deal going to have on London’s pubs, particularly in the context of London’s economic recovery?

The Mayor: Thetradedeal falls short of what’s best for London, the UK and our economy and ithasnotconsideredourimportantcreativeindustries or night time economy businesses.
London’s pubs play an important role in our city and our communities. The industry contributes £23 billion a year to the UK economy and supports 900,000 jobs.
Pubs currently face an existential threat, with restrictions on hospitality due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the biggest issue for the pub sector right now.
It is still too early to say what the full impact of Brexit will be on London’s pubs, in part because the industry has been closed since we left the EU on 31 December 2020. However, we know that the sector relied on EU nationals throughout the workforce, from pub chefs to bar staff. I will continue to work with the industry to understand the risks from Brexit and to lobby government for the support it needs.

Fuel Poverty Action Plan

Leonie Cooper: Can you provide an update on your Fuel Poverty Action Plan commitment to provide guidance and support to boroughs on how they can legally and responsibly use data to identify households in fuel poverty? What boroughs have been provided this support? How is it being implemented?

The Mayor: Navigating the data landscape in a legal manner is challenging, requiring very specific knowledge and capacity that we do not have in house. After testing the market, I was unable to secure a provider who had the required knowledge and experience to satisfactorily prepare this guidance for boroughs. Such guidance has to be robust to be of any use and I will continue to work with partners to explore how we can support a targeted approach to addressing fuel poverty. The recently-published fuel poverty strategy for England commits the government to enabling and facilitating more data sharing and to remove barriers to data sharing. I will work with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to realise this commitment for local authorities.

Cameras in custody suites

Unmesh Desai: Please advise what proportion of Met custody suites currently have CCTV/video cameras within them.

The Mayor: All Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) custody suites have CCTV in the communal areas. The majority of cells also have CCTV within them.

Body worn video disciplinary footage

Unmesh Desai: How many Met police officers have received formal or informal disciplinary action, or been dismissed, as a result of a body worn video footage review in each of the last four years?

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) does not record data in a way that identifies the viewing of Body Worn Video (BWV) as the catalyst for an investigation.
BWV often provides crucial information for police professional standards investigators or the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) in helping to determine if an officer has conducted themselves appropriately. Equally it may disprove an allegation by highlighting the professionalism of the officer.
The reason for disciplinary action or an IOPC referral is not the body worn video footage itself, but the behaviour that was captured, and this is what is recorded and therefore searchable.

Communal sleeping spaces

Murad Qureshi: To what extent have communal sleeping spaces been used to deliver the severe weather provision for rough sleepers this winter, and has this had an impact on rates of COVID-19 in the homeless population?

The Mayor: All current GLA accommodation for rough sleepers is en-suite and COVID safe. This has been the case since the beginning of the pandemic. In previous years, shared shelters have been used for Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) accommodation. However, this year, due to the risks of COVID-19 transmission, the GLA has used only en-suite hotel accommodation for this purpose. GLA officers have worked closely with colleagues in London’s councils to ensure that they also only use COVID-safe options.
The provision of COVID-safe accommodation rather than shared spaces has had a significant positive impact on rates of COVID-19 infection in the rough sleeping population, with the first wave of Everyone In estimated to have potentially avoided around 7,000 infections, 90 deaths and 390 hospital and 115 ICU admissions in the capital. (For further details see https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(20)30396-9/fulltext).

Brexit on London’s pubs (2)

Leonie Cooper: Are you lobbying the Government for changes to the current arrangements with the EU for pubs?

The Mayor: I continue to lobby government to offer more practical support to pubs including extending the business rates holiday beyond March and the furlough scheme beyond April. Without the certainty that support will remain in place, many more business owners will be forced to close permanently.
It is still too early to say what the full impact of Brexit will be on London’s pubs, in part because the industry has been closed since we left the EU on 31 December 2020. I will continue to work with the industry to understand the risks from Brexit and to lobby government for the support it needs.
The pub industry faces an existential threat due to unprecedented restrictions placed on hospitality during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the biggest issue for pubs right now. I am doing all I can to ensure they survive to reopening, including supporting through my Culture and Community Spaces at Risk Office and Business Hub.

Green House Programme

Murad Qureshi: How has the Government’s Green House Programme announced last year been delivered in Greater London?

The Mayor: Please refer to my responses to MQ’s 2021/0819, 2021/0280 and 2021/0964.

Homebuilding Capacity Fund (1)

Susan Hall: Since the launch of your Building Council Homes for Londoners Programme in May 2018, which London councils have bid for up to £750,000, to boost their housing & planning teams? Please detail the positive effect the funding has had on their teams.

The Mayor: Through the Mayor’s Homebuilding Capacity Fund, the GLA has allocated over £10 million in revenue funding to support 53 bids across 28 boroughs to boost skills and capacity within their in-house housing and planning teams. Boroughs in receipt of funding through this programme include: Barking & Dagenham; Barnet; Bexley; Brent; Camden; Croydon; Enfield; Ealing; Greenwich; Haringey; Islington; Hackney; Harrow; Hammersmith & Fulham; Hounslow; Kensington & Chelsea; Kingston upon Thames; Lambeth; Lewisham; Merton; Newham; Redbridge; Southwark; Sutton; Tower Hamlets; Waltham Forest; Wandsworth; and, Westminster.
Boroughs have consistently provided positive feedback about the impact of the Homebuilding Capacity Fund on their delivery programmes and the fund was significantly oversubscribed. The GLA is commissioning an independent impact study of the Homebuilding Capacity Fund, which will be undertaken this year. The study will provide further detail about the impact of this funding on council housing delivery programmes in London.

Mayor’s Building Council Homes for Londoners programme

Susan Hall: Since the launch of the Mayor’s Building Council Homes for Londoners programme in May 2018, are 10,000 new council homes currently underway in the capital and by when will they be completed?

The Mayor: Councils in London are on track to deliver against the Mayor’s target of 10,000 new council homes started by 2023. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has had an impact on the ability for some boroughs to meet delivery commitments, including against key programme milestones. GLA officers are working closely with borough partners to minimise the impact of Covid-19 on delivery targets.
The Building Council Homes for Londoners programme does not set completion date milestones.

Shepherd’s Bush Police Station

Murad Qureshi: Can you please give me an update on the sale of Shepherd’s Bush Police Station on Uxbridge Road?

The Mayor: Following the full redevelopment of Hammersmith Police Station, marketing of Shepherd’s Bush Police Station will be launched in early March 2021 with the sale completion expected by the end of May.

Following Covid-19 Guidelines at Met Driver Training Centres

Caroline Pidgeon: What measures are in place at Met driver training centres across London to ensure the safety of officers and staff against the risk of Covid-19?

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) regularly issues guidance to its officers and staff on how to stay safe during the pandemic. This guidance is based on the advice of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC).
Officers and staff are advised to maintain social distancing (at least 2metres) wherever possible. Where this is not possible, such as in an enclosed space like a vehicle, officers and staff are expected to wear facemasks.
It is vital that police training can continue, and additional measures have been implemented in all training centres – including increased cleaning and sanitisation, removal of some elements of training which were deemed to be high risk for contamination between groups and, where possible, ensure people are training with their teams and limiting contact between training groups.
The MPS will continue to review these measures to ensure they are appropriate and fit for purpose.

City Hall Savings

Shaun Bailey: What is the amount of costs/savings from moving City Hall to The Crystal broken down by year?

The Mayor: The expected saving over 10 years is £97m to GLA per MD2705 – Relocation of City Hall section 1.50. The breakdown per year is as follows:
Relocation costs have been factored into these numbers and are incurred in current financial year 2020-21 and 2021-22.
City Hall Relocation Savings
20/21
21/22*
22/23
23/24
24/25
25/26
26/27
27/28
28/29
29/30
30/31
31/32**
10 yr
£m
£m
£m
£m
£m
£m
£m
£m
£m
£m
£m
£m
£m
GLA saving
2.1
8.2
8.2
8.2
8.2
8.2
10.5
11.2
11.2
11.2
9.9
97.1
Relocation cost
-3.5
-10.5
-14
Contribution from reserves
0
13.5
-3.2
-3.2
-3.2
-3.2
-0.7
0
Saving in revenue budget
-3.5
5.1
5
5
5
5
7.5
10.5
11.2
11.2
11.2
9.9
83.1
*part year saving exiting CH from DEC 2021
**part year saving assuming lease expiry DEC 2031 using the 10 year model

Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm

Tony Devenish: How many of the 15 members of this commission are members of a political party? Please state which party and provide a breakdown.

The Mayor: The role of members of the Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm is non-remunerated and is not politically restricted, as is the case for all Mayoral appointed boards. Applicants were not asked to disclose this information during the recruitment or interview process.
Commission members are independent but will be subject to GLA governance and code of conduct protocols.

New Homes Quality Board

Tony Devenish: How will you actively work with the newly-formed New Homes Quality Board, for the benefit of Londoners?

The Mayor: The Independent Chair of the New Homes Quality Board, Natalie Elphicke MP, wrote to me this month to provide an update on the Board’s activities. I am glad that Government recognises the importance of driving better quality and standards in the private housebuilding sector and ensuring that owners of newly built homes are covered by the have the right consumer protections. I will be watching the progress of the Board and what it achieves with interest.

Changes to Healthcare Provision in Met Custody Suites (1)

Caroline Pidgeon: Do you share my concerns over the continued provision of senior clinical advice and support in custody suites across London given the changes being implemented to healthcare in Met custody suites, which includes the removal of all contracted doctors, known as Forensic Medical Examiners (FMEs)?

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) is moving to a custody healthcare provision that uses Custody Nurse Practitioners (CNPs) who can call on support from Forensic Medical Examiners (FME) as required around the clock.
This change follows extensive audit of the effectiveness of FMEs in custody. The MPS assures me that the plan has been carefully formulated and implemented, and they are confident that this will continue to deliver a high level of care for detainees in custody suites.
I further understand that Chief Superintendent Balhatchet and Assistant Commissioner Rolfe have provided a separate written response to your concerns and offered to meet you to discuss the new model and provide further reassurance.

Functional Body Boards (2)

Susan Hall: Can you provide the details of all remuneration for the members of GLA functional body boards for 2019-20?

The Mayor: Remuneration for members of the London Legacy Development Corporation Board, for 2019/20, can be found on page 68 of the LLDC published accounts here: https://www.queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk/-/media/201920-lldc-audited-statement-of-accounts-and-annual-report-final.ashx?la=en
Remuneration for members of the Transport for London Board is published in TfL’s annual report on page 51, with individual remuneration per Member shown on page 68: https://content.tfl.gov.uk/tfl-annual-report-2019-20.pdf
Remuneration for members of the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation can be found on page 41 here:
https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/opdc_201920_audited_annual_report_and_accounts_final_041220_signed.pdf

Rape Crisis Centre Waiting Times

Caroline Pidgeon: What are the current waiting times for rape victims receiving counselling services from London’s four rape crisis centres? Please also provide an update on the review you assured me MOPAC would undertake around how data on waiting times was published in answer to MQ 2020/0003.

The Mayor: As of Q2 this financial year, there was an average waiting time of 145 days to receive counselling across the four Rape Crisis Centres, once an assessment has taken place.
Due to the pandemic, the review was placed on hold as services had to adapt to cope with the many pressures they have faced and continue to face during this period. We will revisit this in 21/22 once the impact of the pandemic starts to reduce.
The Mayor continues to lobby the MoJ and has had success in securing additional funding for sexual violence services including the Rape Crisis Centres. Between 2016 and 2019 the Mayor allocated £3,780,000 to the four Rape Crisis Centres. For the period from April 2019 to March 2021, they have been allocated £4,949,400.

Number of Crimes Screened out in 2020

Caroline Pidgeon: How many crimes were screened out without further investigation within 24 hours of being reported in 2020, broken down by i) month, and ii) crime type?

The Mayor: Please see attached the requested data. The data show the number of crimes screened out within 24 hours, it is not possible to know whether crimes were screened out as part of the initial or further investigation.

The Mayor: Attachments
0066_Number of Crimes Screened out in 2020_v2.xlsx

Catalytic Converter Thefts (3)

Caroline Pidgeon: How many arrests have the Met made for i) the theft of catalytic converters, and ii) the trading in metals from catalytic converters since 2017? Please break this information down by i) month and ii) borough.

The Mayor: Please see attached the information requested related to catalytic converter theft.
In October 2019, I wrote to the Society of Motor Manufacturers highlighting that the police alone will not be able to tackle this issue. The support of partners, particularly vehicle manufacturers is vital - by enhancing the security features of new vehicles to help design out crime.
Security measures would be best installed at the point of manufacture and I asked that they take steps to make future models more secure and components easier to trace. In addition, I asked for consideration of retrofitting options being made available for existing vehicles.
The Met also promotes crime prevention advice to car owners and works with the motor industry to advise on how certain design features may help reduce vehicle-related crime and improve vehicle security. There is also work going on at a national level to see whether stricter regulation could prevent the selling on of stolen scrap metal. The Met are working with other police forces and the motor industry to develop this.

The Mayor: Attachments
0061_&_0063_Catalytic Converter Thefts (1)_&_(3) 1.xlsx

Catalytic Converter Thefts (2)

Caroline Pidgeon: What measures are the Met taking to break the supply chain of metal from catalytic converters being re-sold?

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) is working with national forces (led by ACC Simms and private industry) to develop and improve intelligence flows on theft and supply chains, proactively target criminals and improve prevention techniques. As part of this ongoing work the MPS is working with other forces to develop a better national picture and create bespoke Criminal Behavioural Orders.
During October, Metal Crime’s profile was raised across the MPS with Multi-Agency partnership work conducted with SNT officers visiting all known dealers, raising awareness and holding owners accountable where offences were identified.

Catalytic Converter Thefts (1)

Caroline Pidgeon: How many catalytic converter thefts have been reported to the Met for each year since 2017? Please break this information down by i) month, and ii) borough.

The Mayor: Please see attached the information requested related to catalytic converter theft.
In October 2019, I wrote to the Society of Motor Manufacturers highlighting that the police alone would not be able to tackle this issue. The support of partners, particularly vehicle manufacturers is vital - by enhancing the security features of new vehicles to help design out crime.
Security measures would be best installed at the point of manufacture and I asked that they take steps to make future models more secure and components easier to trace. In addition, I asked for consideration of retrofitting options being made available for existing vehicles.
The Met promotes crime prevention advice to car owners and works with the motor industry to advise on how certain design features may help reduce vehicle-related crime and improve vehicle security. There is also work going on at a national level to see whether stricter regulation could prevent the selling on of stolen scrap metal. The Met are working with other police forces and the motor industry to develop this.

The Mayor: Attachments
0061_&_0063_Catalytic Converter Thefts (1)_&_(3) 1.xlsx

Covid Marshalls (2)

Keith Prince: Do you feel that the Covid Marshalls are fully enforcing their current powers?

The Mayor: The pandemic has shown how resilient Londoners are, I want to commend everyone who has come forward to help during this difficult time.
Local Authorities are responsible for the Covid Marshalls and it is not my place to comment.

Westminster Council Affordable Housing Fund

Murad Qureshi: What could be done in housing with the monies not yet spent by Westminster Council in their Affordable Housing Fund for social rent, where some £300 million exists from developer contributions?

The Mayor: GLA officers engage regularly with Westminster Council on how to support housing delivery in their borough. I set strategic policy for housing delivery through my London Plan and I am pleased to have secured over half of the new Homes for Londoners: Affordable Homes Programme 21-26 to deliver social rent homes across London, which recognises the significant need for social rent homes across the capital. However, it is not in my remit to direct individual boroughs on how to deploy their resources.

TfL & Westminster Council housing requirements

Murad Qureshi: Is it acceptable for TfL not to meet Westminster Council Housing Requirements in their City Plan hearing over mixed-use policy in Central London?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) promotes its land for commercial and housing development within the planning policy framework, including the London Plan and Westminster’s adopted City Plan. TfL works closely with communities and Local Planning Authorities across London to secure permission for all its housing, commercial and mixed-use developments. TfL will always seek to comply with adopted planning policies unless there are clear site, viability or project-specific reasons that it cannot do so.
TfL’s Royal Oak site is located at the fringe of the Central Activities Zone, and so experiences lower rental levels than other parts of Westminster, particularly the core West End. TfL’s Commercial Development team expressed concern that Policy 10 of the draft City Plan could have an impact on the potential to deliver commercial office floorspace as part of a mixed-use scheme at Royal Oak.
The final version of the Westminster City Plan has yet to be adopted, however the Planning Inspector has recommended that Policy 10 should be deleted and the Council’s published Schedule of Main Modifications for Consultation (November 2020) confirms an intention to do so.

Zero Emission Capable (ZEC) Taxis

Keith Prince: With plummeting values of all models, including ZECs, within the taxi fleet. Is the Mayor concerned for the uptake of new ZEC vehicles and the potential problem this will cause current manufacturers?

The Mayor: I am very proud that London’s taxi trade has led the way in the early adoption of Zero Emission Capable (ZEC) technology and Transport for London (TfL) has now licensed more than nearly 4,000 of these cleaner, greener vehicles. TfL continues to provide financial support for drivers in the form of a contribution to the £7,500 grant for the purchase of a ZEC taxi; a delicensing scheme to remove oldervehicles from the fleet; and on-street rapid charging infrastructure.
In recent months Transport for London (TfL) has maintained a very regular dialogue with stakeholders from across the taxi and private hireindustries, tounderstand their concerns and the impact the pandemic is havingon their sector.
Iknow this has been a very difficult time for drivers, fleet owners and vehicle manufacturers. Sadly, the difficulties they face are being experienced by many other professions across London and the rest of the UK. It is a concern to see a reduction in the overall number of taxi vehicles in the fleet andIwould encourage allthose impacted by the pandemic to make full use of the Government financial support schemes available. Details have been set out ina number ofTaxi and Private HireNotices published by TfL.
TfL continues to explore options available to help support the industry throughout the pandemic and I know thetrade stakeholders have responded positively to thisapproach.

Programmes for disadvantaged Londoners (2)

Susan Hall: Which London boroughs have benefitted from any programmes specifically aimed at targeting the most disadvantaged Londoners?

The Mayor: All boroughs have benefited from skills & employment programmes and interventions targeted at disadvantaged Londoners to varying levels.
Between August 2019 and April 2020, 196,850 learners participated in the Adult Education Budget (AEB) programme. All Sub-Regional Partnerships and London Boroughs showed significant activity (above 2,000 learners). The top 5 London Boroughs with the highest number of learners were Newham (10,550), Haringey (8,890), Southwark (8,690), Lambeth (8,300), and Brent (8,300) (see AEB Academic Year 2019/20 data publication).
Through my Construction Academy I have funded nine hubs which provide a coordinated approach to construction skills training, curriculum design and employment support. Hubs are operating in every London borough and over 17,500 learners have completed construction training and over 6,000 construction learners have sustained employment or an apprenticeship for at least six months across hub areas.
My Digital Talent, Apprenticeships and European Social Fund programmes are pan-London and there are no restrictions on where learners live.

TfL Employees

Shaun Bailey: Please provide a full list of the organisations that TfL have seconded employees to since May 2016? What was the total number of employees seconded and how many hours did this amount to per year since the 2015/16 year?

The Mayor: At Transport for London (TfL), external secondment provides employees with the opportunity to gain experience and skills outside of TfL and to benefit and develop their level of expertise, which they can use on their return to TfL. External secondments at TfL are arranged locally between the employee, their manager and the host organisation therefore data on external secondments sits within individual business areas and is not available centrally.

Programmes for disadvantaged Londoners (3)

Susan Hall: How many programmes for disadvantaged Londoners have been implemented to date?

The Mayor: Since publishing my Skills for Londoners Strategy (2018) where I set out my vision in which all Londoners have access to education and skills, I have implemented four core programmes supporting disadvantaged Londoners: Apprenticeships; Digital Talent; Construction Academy; and my programme of provision funded by the European Social Fund. In addition, the delegated Adult Education Budget (AEB) funds education and training for adults aged 19+ focusing on disadvantaged Londoners. I have implemented flexibilities to the AEB to support disadvantaged Londoners. All AEB data can be found here.
Groups supported include young people who are Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET) or at risk of being NEET, those at risk of involvement in gang-related behaviour, people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, Londoners with English as a Second or Other Language, unemployed Londoners, Londoners who are in low paid work, Londoners lacking English and maths qualifications, and other groups facing disadvantage.

Post-16 SEND (1)

Susan Hall: What did your pan-London review of post-16 SEND highlight?

The Mayor: The post 16 SEND review highlighted a forecast increase in the number of 16 to 18-year olds with Education and Health Care Plans (EHCPs) to rise by 5% between 2018 and 2022. The volume of 19 to 24-year olds with EHCPs is to remain broadly static over the same period.
Overall, in 2021 there will be an estimated gap of 8,950 places for young people with SEND in post-16 education in London, when comparing projected demand with estimated existing supply. This represents approximately 45% of the potential projected demand.
Since publishing the report, I have introduced greater flexibility for London’s further education providers to train their staff to better support learnerswithSEND, to improve the participation, retention, and achievement rates of SEND learners participating in London’s Adult Education Budget.

Post-16 SEND (2)

Susan Hall: How have you been filling in the gaps in education & training provision for young Londoners with SEND?

The Mayor: My Skills and Employment Unit has made flexibilities available in the Adult Education Budget (AEB) to support the upskilling of teaching staff to deliver improved specialist provision for learners with SEND. SEND careers staff training will be targeted at the transition stage from special schools to FE and the transition from FE to work.In September 2020, I extended the London Enterprise Adviser Network (LEAN) to include special schools. It now works with 60 special schools across London, linking them to business volunteers, offering continuing professional development for staff and access to adapted resources.
So far, my Young Londoners Fund has supported just under 6,000 young people with SEND through projects that offer education and skills development and diversionary activities.

London Underground Performance Data Almanac

Alison Moore: The Almanac no longer appears at: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/underground-services-performance. Can you ask TfL to put it back online or provide details of why that is not possible? Can you also provide me with a copy of the final version of the Almanac that has been published?

The Mayor: In order to continue to provide an accurate measure of London Underground’s performance given the impact of coronavirus, Transport for London (TfL) reviewed its performance metrics, and the revised metrics are now published on its website. This includes Percentage Service Operated, Kilometres Operated and data up to 2019/20 period 12 (the latest data available) for Excess Journey Time and Lost Customer Hours.
This data is available at:
https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/underground-services-performance
As part of the review of performance metrics, the Almanac was considered and the data presented did not align with London Underground’s current organisational structure and was difficult to produce and interpret, potentially creating inconsistencies with other published data sets. Therefore, the Almanac has been removed and replaced with the revised performance metrics.
I have asked TfL to send you a copy of the last published Almanac.

Oakland’s Equity Framework

Murad Qureshi: Will the Mayor consider implementing an Equity Framework in London, as the city of Oakland, California, has done? This would track inequities in London by protected characteristics and income, ensuring that GLA and TfL investment is directed to people and neighbourhoods most in need.

The Mayor: When my Inclusive London strategy was published in May 2018, I published an equality evidence base alongside it, outlining the scale of inequality between different groups of Londoners. The evidence base contains a wide range of demographic data on London's diverse population, as well as the inequalities experienced in a range of areas including transport, crime and housing. This informed a set of high-level indicators which are updated annually and help show how inequality issues in London are changing over time. This forms part of a wider social evidence base to understand the social state of London and also includes measures on economic fairness and social integration – both intrinsic to equality.
As in Oakland, these measures help direct GLA and TfL resources towards areas and Londoners in most need. For example, the London Recovery Programme has made tackling structural inequalities a key principle of all its work.

CCTV cameras for East Finchley

Andrew Dismore: Further to Question No: 2020/3063: You may recall the serious problem last winter of teenagers in East Finchley being mugged in the evenings. The SNT are requesting an improvement in local CCTV coverage in the area, especially from the tube station to the entrance to Cherry Tree Wood. Will you ask TfL to install and extra camera or cameras at the station, in consultation with the SNT, in order to improve safety here?
Your answer being
‘Transport for London (TfL) will work closely with the Safer Neighbourhood Team, the British Transport Police and the local authority to understand the issues and how best to address any issues. After this investigation has been completed, TfL will be in a position to take appropriate action, which may include the installation of CCTV.’
Has this investigation been completed, and if so with what outcome; if not when do you expect it to be completed?

The Mayor: To investigate the issue raised, Transport for London (TfL) contacted the local Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Safer Neighbourhoods team. They confirmed they had been concerned that there could be an increase in muggings in the local area during the winter as there had been a series of incidents in the park the previous year. However, no further action was required from TfL while the Police monitored the situation. There has not been an increase in crime reported this winter, and the MPS confirmed that no further action was required from TfL at this time.
The local policing team has the contact details for TfL’s police liaison team. It’s been agreed that they will notify TfL if the situation changes and they think that TfL could provide support for tackling issues in the local area.

VED Funds Devolution

Keith Prince: In order to strengthen the case for the devolution of VED funds, will you commit to spending any funds that are devolved on maintaining and improving London’s roads and on the full restoration of LIP (Local Implementation Plans) funding?

The Mayor: Londoners currently pay around £500m of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) annually, almost all of which is used to fund roads outside of London. If London could retain this sum it could cover the net cost of operations for buses and streets. Whilst the income from VED retention would mean that Transport for London (TfL) could fund the maintenance and renewal of the TfL road network, TfL’s Financial Sustainability Plan is clear that it does not address the full funding requirement that London boroughs have to fund their strategic highway assets. The Plan sets out how London’s boroughs need to be able to access the funding streams for highways that are available outside of London to ensure their often nationally important infrastructure is maintained in a good state of repair.

Hammersmith Bridge

Tony Devenish: Will you urge LBHF to stop their foot dragging on Hammersmith Bridge repairs?

The Mayor: Discussions between Hammersmith & Fulham Council and the Department for Transport about how repairs to Hammersmith Bridge will be funded are still ongoing.
As you know, the coronavirus pandemic has had, and continues to have, a devastating impact on Transport for London’s (TfL’s) income. TfL is currently reliant on financial support from the Government simply to run day-to-day services and it cannot therefore contribute to the cost of the repairs.

Stop and search training

Unmesh Desai: As part of your Action Plan, will all Met officers be required to undertake refreshed stop and search training?

The Mayor: The initial focus will be on stop and search training for recruits. New officers will spend time understanding the importance of cultural awareness and the impact of issues such as unconscious bias and disproportionality on communities across London, specifically Black communities. This will include scenario-based role plays such as ‘trading places’ exercises, where officers will be put in the shoes of the people they stop.
This work will form a foundation for developing future training materials that can be used across the wider Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). Existing officers already have access to a range of packages on stop and search and the MPS is reviewing how these can be enhanced.
All officers receive annual Officer Safety Training (OST) and the MPS has committed to involving communities in the design of refreshed OST. This will help equip officers with skills to deal with and deescalate potential conflict situations, and this is expected to benefit a wide range of frontline policing activity including stop and search.

Drug Offences

Tony Devenish: The ONS figures for London record a 43% rise in drug offences between April and June. Please give a detailed analysis why.

The Mayor: The latest Home Office figures as published by ONS to September 2020 show the MPS has seen an overall increase in drug offences of 15% (6,839 more offences). The peaks between April and June 20 can be attributed to an increase in stop and search activity for drugs (+39%, 55,278 more), which peaked in May 20.
The impact of COVID-19, the introduction of MPS Drugs Focus Desks, and the National Operation Venetic have also contributed to an increase in charges for drugs offences +58% (n=2,192)

Burglary victims

Tony Devenish: Is it acceptable that burglary victims simply get told to complete an online form and do not have visits from the police?

The Mayor: Victims of burglary, as with any victim of crime, can choose to contact police by phone or online. If police are contacted by phone, and there are suspects at or near the scene, there will be an immediate police response to apprehend the offenders.
There is the option for members of the public to report online, if that’s preferable for them. Where a member of the public chooses to report a residential burglary online, the offer to speak to a member of the MPS face to face is offered and any investigative leads identified are followed up.

Violence Reduction Unit (1)

Peter Whittle: What was the cost of the GLA’s Violence Reduction Unit in the Financial Year 2019/20?

The Mayor: The overall spend for the Violence Reduction Unit in the financial year of 19/20 was £10.4m and included in this figure is £0.7m for staffing costs which represents 6.7% of the overall expenditure.

Advance Women Centre (1)

Susan Hall: In relation to your press release entitled “Mayor provides £10m for new projects to prevent serious crimes” dated 16/02/18, how has the £2,996,940 of funding given to Advance Women Centre & Advance Minerva Wrap Around Support Services helped female offenders? Please provide examples, to include how the funding has helped to prevent re-offending.

The Mayor: My funding has enabled the delivery of gender-specific, tailored and trauma-informed specialist support to women offenders. It helps fund the provision of allocated 1-2-1 key worker support for up to 18 months, across 15 boroughs hubs and 2 regional women’s centres, that are women-only safe spaces - in addition to counselling, group work, and advocacy representation. The provision of these services, aim to address the often-complex underlying risks associated with women’s reoffending. Interim data analysis reveals that these women are experiencing improvements in leading crime free lives, mental health, substance misuse, relationships and family, accommodation and financial management. Research into the impact of this initiative is being conducted by Manchester Metropolitan University, with a final evaluation report due for publication in August 2022.

Delivery of New London Plan & Recovery

Navin Shah: I’m pleased that after a long and unacceptable delay the London Plan can now shape and make a positive contribution to London. As London paves its way to recovery, will the London Plan need modifications in the light of the pandemic which has brought about radical changes in the way we live and work etc. Is the London Plan robust and flexible enough to absorb major changes required to pave a way to recovery or will it need to change? If latter is the case how do you think it can and will be done?

The Mayor: While my new London Plan was first drafted before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Plan is still relevant for London today and the challenges of recovery. It provides the policy framework to secure many more genuinely affordable homes; supports sustainable patterns of development and travel to ensure a green recovery; moves to zero carbon buildings to help tackle the climate emergency; provides workspaces for SMEs and creative businesses; ensures sufficient capacity for the logistics and distribution sectors that service our city; protects cultural spaces, grass roots music venues, pubs and LGBTQ+ spaces to maintain London’s vibrancy; provides more green and open spaces that we have come to value ever more through these recent times; creates healthy streets and enhances green cover, so that we can live healthier lives – and much more besides. As the shape of the recovery from Covid-19 becomes more certain, I will of course monitor the situation and keep the Plan under review.

StreetLink

Navin Shah: In recent years the StreetLink app has been very useful so that members of the public could identify rough sleepers and make StreetLink aware of them. Now there is much less footfall on London’s streets as people stay home, what is being done to ensure as many rough sleepers as possible are being located and helped, especially as the cold weather continues to take its toll?

The Mayor: Despite decreased footfall, the StreetLink service made over 8,300 referrals to outreach teams in London between October and December 2020. In addition to alerts from members of the public, the StreetLink service also receives self-referrals from people sleeping rough – a service which has continued to be heavily used during the pandemic.
Nonetheless, whilst StreetLink referrals (both from the public and service users) are incredibly helpful in ensuring that services can reach people in need, they complement but do not replace traditional outreach work, which has continued throughout the pandemic. This involves regular (nightly) shifts of outreach workers looking both for people who are known and those who are new to the streets, led by local intelligence.
During particularly cold periods, when the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) is activated by City Hall, outreach services further increase shifts to ensure that as many people as possible are contacted quickly and supported.

Green Homes Grants and London (3)

Leonie Cooper: How many Londoners have benefitted from the Green Homes Grant Voucher scheme and how does this compare to the rest of England?

The Mayor: The Government published some reporting on the Green Homes Grant Voucher scheme on the 18th February.
Of the 99,576 total voucher applications made by 31 January, 9,298 (9.3%) were from the London region. London’s share of English households is 15%. This is the lowest share of any English region apart from the North East.
Of the 21,056 total vouchers issued by 31 January, 2,057 (9.8%) were from the London region.

Domestic Abuse “referred” calls

Unmesh Desai: Why has the portion of Domestic Abuse related calls marked as ‘referred’, or dealt with by the operator, increased from 12% to 17% in the last four years?

The Mayor: The MPS define ‘referred’ graded calls as those where the needs of the caller are met through telephone advice or the involvement of another more appropriate agency or service. For domestic incidents these include the caller requesting an update on a crime report or updating a crime that was already recorded. In these instances, the attendance of a police officer is not required. The police will attend all calls where a crime or domestic incident needs to be recorded.
It is not possible to determine the precise reason for the increase. However, with the continued increase in domestic incidents being reported, the police would expect a disproportionate increase in ‘referred’ graded calls. This includes incidents where there are multiple calls reporting an incident, which is most notable in the last year as more people, such as neighbours, were at home to report incidents.

Annual reports from the Crossrail Complaints Commissioner

Caroline Pidgeon: When will the latest report by the Crossrail Complaints Commissioner be published? Please explain the reasons in the delay in publication of the latest reports?

The Mayor: Previously the Crossrail Complaints Commissioner’s reports were issued to the High-Level Forum on an annual basis and its contents were not published. Following the transfer of governance from the project to Transport for London on 1 October 2020, the contents of the report will be discussed, in public, and on an annual basis, at the Elizabeth Line Committee.
TfL is in contact with the Crossrail Complaints Commissioner to make arrangements for when Commissioner’s annual report will be presented to the Elizabeth Line Committee.

Crossrail Complaints Commissioner (2)

Caroline Pidgeon: Will all reports that are published by the Crossrail Complaints Commissioner be treated as public documents and routinely published by TfL online in a timely and unredacted manner?

The Mayor: On 1 October 2020, responsibility for the governance of the Crossrail project moved to sit directly with Transport for London (TfL). Under the new governance arrangements, the content from the Crossrail Complaints Commissioner’s annual report will be presented to the Elizabeth Line Committee (ELC) on an annual basis.
TfL is in contact with the Crossrail Complaints Commissioner to make arrangements for when Commissioner’s annual report will be presented to the Elizabeth Line Committee.

Mayor’s Transport Strategy commitment to increasing tram capacity

Caroline Pidgeon: Please state what actual increase in tram capacity has taken place since the publication of your Transport Strategy which had a commitment to upgrade the tram system to improve its reliability and to increase its capacity by 85 per cent to/from Croydon by 2030?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has significantly improved its tram service to make better use of it. TfL overhauled the timetable in February 2018 to make it more regular and consistent, and redistributed unused capacity from the daytimes to early mornings and evenings when it is most needed. As a result, trams were 15 per cent less crowded in 2019 than they were in 2017 and customers waited less time for a tram on average. However, the overall capacity operated on London Trams has not increased since 2018 as demand has not grown and TfL is already using as many trams as possible for peak services.
The future is much more uncertain now than it was in 2018. In addition to the coronavirus pandemic, the plans for Croydon’s retail environment are likely to change. However, TfL is working on plans for a replacement tram fleet which will help improve services in the future. TfL hopes to introduce these from 2025 depending on its future funding.

Policing and security post Brexit

Andrew Dismore: What concerns do you have for policing and security post Brexit?

The Mayor: The MPS will continue to work with European counterparts on security and policing under the new agreement but the fallback systems that the police are now using are not like for like replacement of EU tools and powers.
The UK has forfeited the use of the European Arrest Warrant, the Schengen Information System and its membership of Europol and Eurojust, making it harder to keep track of terrorists, serious organised criminal networks and criminals. Instead, the UK has become a ‘third party’ partner with Europol and Eurojust. The loss of the Schengen Information System will have a ‘major operational impact’ according to the NPCC. This database was aligned to European systems, and whilst the police are prepared to use Interpol in its place, this requires a more manual and slower process, with forces circulating far fewer persons and objects of interest.

Hammersmith Bridge 2

Shaun Bailey: What are the realistic current proposals for Hammersmith Bridge and what is the total cost of each one?

The Mayor: Transport for London has developed plans for how the bridge could be repaired, which involves first stabilising the bridge to make it safe for pedestrians, cyclists and river traffic and then strengthening it to allow for general traffic (up to 7.5 tonnes) and buses. The total cost of progressing the works are estimated at c.£130m (including allowances for risk and inflation).
An alternative repair methodology has been proposed by Fosters + Partners / COWI and is being promoted by Hammersmith & Fulham Council. It entails building a temporary structure within the existing bridge, and refurbishing pats of the existing bridge off site. Hammersmith & Fulham Council has commissioned Foster + Partners / COWI to develop this option, and its estimated cost, further. An outcome of this work is expected to be reported to the Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce within the next few weeks.

Hammersmith Bridge

Shaun Bailey: How much money has TfL and City Hall given to Hammersmith Council each year since 2008 in relation to Hammersmith Bridge? How was this money spent?

The Mayor: A summary of the financial commitments made by Transport for London towards Hammersmith Bridge is set out in the table below, together with an explanation of the work.
Year
Amount (£m)
Reason
2007/08
£0.08
Bridge assessment
2008/09
£0.13
Bridge assessment
2010/11
£0.15
Investigation of weight limit enforcement and barrier/width restriction enhancement/improvements
2011/12
£0.34
Barrier/width restriction enhancement/improvements
2014/15
£0.20
Panels design
2015/16
£0.55
Reactive deck panel replacement
2016/17
£0.79
Reactive deck panel replacement / Pathway Stage 1 – Outcome definition, surveys and data collection
2017/18
£1.02
Pathway Stage 2 – Feasibility of options for repairing the bridge
2018/19
£1.70
Pathway Stage 2 – Feasibility of options for repairing the bridge
2019/20
£5.80
Pathway Stage 3 - Concept design for main bridge, investigation and early works on pedestals, design of temporary bridge and ongoing monitoring and inspections.
2020/21
£5.90 in H1
£4.0 in H2
Pathway Stage 3 - Concept design for main bridge, detailed design for stabilisation works to make the bridge safe for the main works, investigation and early works on pedestals, concept design of temporary bridge and inspections and assessments.

The Real Lettings Property Fund 2 (2)

Susan Hall: Based on your press release entitled "Mayor invests £15m to buy homes for homeless Londoners" in 2018, can you please give examples of "affordable" rent from these properties & details of the areas in which these properties are located.

The Mayor: Properties within the Real Lettings Property Fund 2 are let to the tenant at the Local Housing Allowance rate. The attached table and map shows a breakdown of where properties are located as a percentage of the fund.

The Mayor: Attachments
MQ 2021-0639 Real Letting Property Fund 2 - Locations MQ 2021.0639.pdf

TfL Debt

Shaun Bailey: What does TfL debt currently stand at?

The Mayor: Total nominal borrowing is reported on a quarterly basis in Transport for London’s (TfL) quarterly performance reports, published on TfL’s website and considered by the Assembly’s Budget and Performance Committee as monitoring reports. This can be found at https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/quarterly-progress.... At the end of quarter 3, 2020-21, the total nominal value of borrowing outstanding was £12,697m.
Prudent borrowing is an important source of financing and supports our capital investment programme. Borrowing allows TfL to spread the upfront cost over several years, tailor the repayment to the economic life of the asset and, in some circumstances, tailor the repayment to TfL’s operating income and future revenues generated by the investment. TfL regularly reviews the amounts it can borrow to support capital investment, ensuring that it is prudent, affordable and sustainable.
Borrowing has been increasing gradually over the last decade and allowed TfL to progress a significant number of vital infrastructure projects, including DLR extensions, development of the London Overground network, Crossrail and station and signalling upgrades on London Underground.
TfL’s Financial Sustainability Plan outlines that TfL has now reached its borrowing cap and there will be no further borrowing beyond 2020/21. TfL proposes to begin to re-build essential cash reserves to near pre-pandemic levels and pay down debt in order to ensure it has the financial resilience that corresponds to its size and risk profile.

City Hall Housing Grants

Shaun Bailey: Please provide a list of all housing developers who have received grants from City Hall since May 2016 and the amount they have each received?

The Mayor: Details of all approvals for grant funding approved for housing providers is available at under the “Affordable Housing Delegated Approvals” section on the GLA website.
https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/housing-and-land/increasing-housing-supply/affordable-housing-statistics
Further specific Mayor’s approvals are available through Mayoral Decisions available on the GLA website

Advance Women Centre (2)

Susan Hall: Following on from your injection of £10m funding in 2018 to help prevent serious crimes, how has your £2,996,940 of funding for Advance Women Centre & Advance Minerva Wrap Around Support Services helped to provide female offenders in 15 London boroughs with services including keyworker support groups, group-work, mentoring & other specialist support to tackle women’s offending & help prevent re-offending? Please provide examples and detail which boroughs have been beneficiaries.

The Mayor: Please see Mayor’s Question 2021/0646. The service involves providing one to one and group support that addresses needs relating to mental health, substance misuse, physical health and well-being, domestic abuse, parenting skills, employability, financial management, accessing appropriate accommodation and tenancy sustainment, all risk factors associated with women offending. Service user response has been overwhelmingly positive, with significant numbers reporting increased feelings of safety from violence and abuse; increased health and well-being, improvement in housing issues and financial management. During 2019/20 Advance supported 523 women, held 243 group work sessions and 2,196 women accessed the women’s centres and women hubs. 100% of women supported reported achieving a positive outcome against their needs. Beneficiary boroughs are Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kensington & Chelsea, Westminster, Barking & Dagenham, Camden, Haringey, Havering, Islington, Newham and Waltham Forest.

Police National Computer

Peter Whittle: I note the report in The Times on 15 January 2021 that nearly 150,000 DNA, fingerprint and arrest records have been wiped off the Police National Computer (PNC). ‘Sources said that more than 150,000 arrest records were accidentally deleted during a weekly “weeding” session to expunge data. Thousands of DNA and fingerprint records were also removed because the databases holding them were connected to the PNC, which is owned by the Home Office.’1 I am assuming that by now the Metropolitan Police has carried out a damage assessment. What is the likely impact of this development on their work?

1https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/150-000-arrest-records-wiped-in-tech-blunder-krhlf302h

The Mayor: This was clearly a serious and unacceptable error on the part of the Home Office. The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) is working directly with the Home Office on this issue and the MPS are cooperating and supporting the NPCC. Officials from my Office for Policing and Crime are regular contact with MPS colleagues as work continues to understand the operational impact of the loss of this data.

Covid-19 and Policing

Peter Whittle: How many Metropolitan Police officers have been fined in 2020 and 2021 for breaching Covid-19 legislation while on duty?

The Mayor: Officer breaches of Covid related regulations are not yet searchable on MPS data systems. The Directorate of Professional Standards is currently undertaking work to provide this and enable the identification of covid related incidents and officer conduct.

Violence Reduction Unit (2)

Peter Whittle: In 2018, you established the Violence Reduction Unit at City Hall to bring together specialists from across the UK to tackle violent crime and its root causes. Could you quantify for me in practical terms the results delivered by the VRU since its establishment?

The Mayor: In 19/20 the VRU invested £15m in projects and programmes designed to stop the spread of violence which included putting youth workers in hospitals across London, tackling school exclusions across 16 boroughs, training doctors to better identify and support victims of domestic violence, supporting grassroots organisations across London and funding to help all 32 boroughs reduce violence.
In 20/21 the VRUdeveloped their work further andcommissioned 126 programmes and projectswhich have reached around 80,000 peopleand invested £19.7m into interventions, expanding its programme of work with parents and families, in schools and PRUs, with hospitals and the police, with local authorities through localised violence reduction plans, with young people themselves, and with the youth practitioners that support them.
The VRU will be publishing its first Annual Report in late spring 2021 which will provide a comprehensive update on the work of the Unit since its inception.

2015 Homelessness Link Survey

Susan Hall: Since the survey highlighted that those in London experience greater difficulty in moving on from hostels or B&Bs, with 51% of those ready kept waiting for 6 months, compared to 27% across England, has this figure now reduced?

The Mayor: The Homeless Link survey no longer reports on how long people in London are waiting for move-on accommodation, so there is no comprehensive data on how that figure has changed. It is clearly detrimental and demoralising for people to stay in temporary accommodation, such as B&Bs or hostels, once they are ready to move-on. Both my Move On Programme and Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme are substantially increasing the amount of move-on accommodation in the capital. For example, I have allocated funding for 900 longer-term homes and support from the funding I have secured from the Government for the first year of the four-year Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme (RSAP). These will add to over 500 homes being delivered through my Move-on Programme, which provides homes for people leaving hostels, refuges and other temporary accommodation.

Rough Sleeping Fund

Susan Hall: Please advise as to which projects have since benefited from your second round of grants from your Rough Sleeping Innovation Fund, announced on 01/02/18. Please demonstrate how the funding has assisted projects to help homeless people progress towards stable, paid work.

The Mayor: The projects grant-funded by the second round of my Rough Sleeping Innovation Fund were Change Please, Aneemo’s online rough sleeping and mental health training, Connections-at-St-Martin’s ‘Improving Services for Homeless Migrants’ project, TAP London’s contactless giving ecosystem, Stonewall Housing/the Outside Project’s LGBT+ homeless shelter, Housing Justice’s ‘More than Shelters’ project, Praxis’s immigration support service in hospitals and St Mungo’s ‘Couples Recovery’ project. Change Please had the greatest focus on supporting homeless people into paid employment. The aim of the project was to open two new cafés, which would provide rough sleepers and those at risk of rough sleeping with training and employment. Over the 18-month funding period, the project supported 45 homeless people into paid employment.

The Real Lettings Property Fund 2 (3)

Susan Hall: Since your investment in 2018 of £15m to buy homes for homeless Londoners, have tenants been able to access wider support to assist them to move into training & employment? Please provide examples of the support provided and how effective it has been.

The Mayor: St Mungo Community Housing Association’s primary model for support for the Real Lettings Property Fund 2 focuses on signposting, supporting tenant engagement and making referrals to external providers of education, employment and training. Providers include colleges, community adult education and employment support services. Figures for 2019/2020 showed that the proportion of tenants unemployed within the Real Lettings Property Fund 2 had decreased by 9.6 per cent from the previous year. Figures for 2020/2021 have not yet been reported.